Hollywood Hills
by Fang lover23
Summary: It's been 2 years since they came to LA. The boys are famous! A party at their old aptartment leads Kendall to a new girl and she becomes one of them. But as they party, Hollywood threatens to bring down its two new rising stars. NO SLASH! -ON HIATUS-
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- All That Really Matters

**Hey all! This is my first BTR fic and my second fanfic altogether, so be nice! Hope you enjoy!**

Hanging out by the pool had been a habit of the boys for the past two years.

But this time, Kendall, James, Logan, and Carlos were sitting in chez lounges at the slightly ritzier Summer Hills apartments.

They had finally made it big:

Their first album had been moderately successful, but they had made a name of themselves. Six months later, they had moved into Summer Hills apartments- for the newly famous.

Six _more_ months later, their second album had dropped to great reviews and a lot of hype. They had outshined their first album, and now they were _in_.

But not even being in the in crowd could change the boys (especially since their 'Hollywood Fever' phase). They were still the bright-eyed, trouble-making hockey players from Minnesota. The only things that changed were for the better: All the boys' singing improved ten-fold, along with Carlos' and Logan's dance skills. They were 18 now, but still played pranks, went after girls out of their league, and were the most down-to-earth people in the complex. The girls were especially bratty- think 'the Jennifers', but times seventeen.

Today in particular was a special day; it wasn't a holiday, but it was just as important to each of the four boys.

"Can you believe it's been 2 years exactly since we got here?" Logan asked no one in particular as they were laid out on the chairs.

"Yeah," the other three replied in lazy, nostalgic awe. They'd had the time of their lives in Hollywood, through the ups and downs and rough patches along the way. They regularly forgot that they had _come_ there, that they hadn't always _been_ there.

"But only you could remember the exact date, Logan," James interrupted everyone's reverie. All the boys let out playful laughs.

"You know me," Logan chuckled.

The boys sat in their chairs, soaking up some rays for a while longer when Kendall and Carlos silently challenged each other in a race to the pool. After struggling to keep each other out of the pool, Carlos shoved Kendall away and threw himself into the pool. A few drops from his splash reached James' face; he sat straight up and cast a warning glance at Carlos, who was goofily celebrating his victory.

"Watch it dude!" James called. "My hair is poolside-perfect." He took out a compact mirror and his lucky comb and fixed his untouched, perfectly-styled hair.

"Come on James," Kendall cut in from the water. "It's supposed to be a fun day for us. Come in and relax for a while," he said invitingly.

James thought for a moment before finally giving in. "Fine. But you _so_ owe me more bathroom time."

As he watched James wade into the pool, Logan heard his cell phone buzz on the small table beside him. He picked it up and saw he had a text from Camille.

_You guys should come over for a visit. You haven't been by in a while. :) _

As Logan contemplated the idea, his thoughts strayed to her. They'd always been unsure of where to take their relationship. Camille had wanted him since the boys' first day at the Palm Woods. After a few months, Logan had really warmed up to her and they became inseparably close. Then he had asked her out a month or two later. It was never anything more than a few kisses, but it was adorable puppy love. Kendall, James, and Carlos loved seeing Logan happy. He and Camille had been off and on for about a year- never really breaking up, but never really getting to spend time together, especially after the boys moved to the Summer Hills.

"Logan, are you alright?"

Logan finally came out of his trip down memory lane to see Kendall sitting at the end of his pool lounger. He was dripping from head to toe from just hopping out of the pool and had a worried expression on his face.

Logan smiled lightly and replied, "Yeah, I guess I zoned out for a second there."

"Or a few minutes," Kendall shot back jokingly. "You looked like you were thinking pretty hard. Is something wrong?"

"Nah, everything's cool," Logan answered. He paused briefly before continuing. "In fact, I just figured out what we should do today."

Kendall raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

Logan's smile widened as he shared his thoughts. "We should drop in on our peeps at the Palm Woods."

"Camille?" Kendall asked immediately, poking fun at Logan.

Logan sighed and looked at Kendall as if to say _Yeah, who else?_

Kendall began thinking about the idea as Logan elaborated. "Think about it: We haven't seen any of them in _months_. Your mom and Katie are there, don't forget. Plus, it'll be fun seeing our old place and friends. We could always hang by the pool for old time's sake…" Logan trailed off, letting Kendall fill in the blank.

He thought for a half-minute longer before breaking into a smile and nodding. "Yeah! Let's do it."

He stood up from Logan's chair and walked with purpose over to the edge of the pool. He spotted James and Carlos as they resurfaced from the water, laughing at an unshared joke. Kendall sat down and dunked his legs into the warm, chlorinated water. He was hyped up from Logan's proposition. The other two boys saw this.

"Yo, dude. What's up?" Carlos asked.

Kendall put on his leader face. "How would you guys feel about hangin' out at the Palm Woods for the day?"

"Why?" James interjected. He was perfectly content with spending his glorious down time at the Summer Hills.

"Well," Kendall began. "Camille is practically _begging_ us to come over. So I don't want to not go over there and face…well, you know her. All our friends will be there, too."

James' features softened as the realization hit him. His mouth turned up into a crooked smile and he gave in. "Alright. Ya got me. Of course I'll go."

"Yeah! I am TOTALLY in!" Carlos exclaimed, jumping halfway out of the water enthusiastically.

Kendall turned back toward Logan. "Hey Logan?" he called.

Logan strode over to them and knelt down. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Tell Camille we'll be over later," Kendall instructed him. "It's time for the boys to take over the Palm Woods again!"

"Yeah!" the other three chorused.

As they waited for Logan to text Camille back, Kendall, James, and Carlos started jabbering about their day coming up. When Logan finished conversing with his Palm Woods buddy, his three friends looked at him expectantly. "What?" he asked.

The boys in the pool game each other knowing looks and all reached for Logan at the same time.

"No, no, no! NO!" Logan pleaded. "But, I- ugh!"

But it wasn't enough. Logan, being the weakest (muscle-wise) of the four, was not prepared when he was pulled into the pool by his arms and legs. He stayed underwater for several seconds, but his head finally broke the surface. He felt a burning in his nose as he grappled for the pool's ledge. Once he got there, chlorinated water streamed his nose; he was an excellent swimmer, but a surprise dunking can stun any experienced pro.

He turned around to the other boys, standing up against the side of the aqua-blue-tiled pool Logan coughed a couple times, regaining his breath. Once he was finished, he glared at them, with their mischievous, grinning faces.

"You guys suck."

**So what do you guys think? Good/bad? Please let me know if I made any mistakes. I just want to make this as realistic as I can. Reviews are appreciated! They're what keep me going.**

**And just an FYI, this story will start out as T, but (much later down the road, like WAY down there, so far down, I can't even see it yet) will change to M. I'll let you know when, just in case. But that won't be for a while!**

**And the chapters will probably get longer from now on. I've been writing this story for a while, so I've been having a tough time deciding where to end each chapter, so bear with me.**

**That little 'review' button down there is getting kinda lonely. He needs a friend! It's simple: just click and review. All reviewers get virtual cookies made my Carlos' grandma!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Just Dance

**Thank you to everyone that reviewed! Reviews always make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. :)**

**Anyway, don't forget, when you review, you INSTANTLY get a cookie baked by Carlos's granny. It's a 'one flavor fits all' cookie, just in case any of you are picky. (Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but it can be any flavor you want.)**

**I don't know if there's anything else to say…oh, yeah. Disclaimer: I don't own BTR. I own my OC and the plot. I won't say it again. So that's my disclaimer. That's it. Sadly…**

Several minutes later, the boys were opening the door to their apartment- 4B. It was about three times larger than their old apartment (2J) and they loved it even more, if possible. Each boy had his own room and they had an even more tricked out living room.

They had the hippest furniture: futuristic sixties and eighties chic decorated the space. Party lights dangled around the room, casting an amber glow throughout the apartment. Foosball and air hockey tables had been installed in the game corner (along with another long yellow swirly slide by Carlos's persistent requests). This corner also contained the most high-end theater system they'd ever seen. Surround sound speakers, a high-tech stereo, DVD player, PlayStation 3, Wii, X-Box 360, and TiVo crowded the in-wall entertainment center. Everyone in the apartment satisfied their boredom with Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Karaoke Revolution, Call of Duty, Halo, and any of the other hundred video games they owned, along with hundreds of the best movies to choose from.

The best feature was the 72-inch LG 3-D television that spanned the entire viewing area in front of the couch. It never ceased to amaze them how awesome their lives had become.

And it was even more awesome that they didn't need parental supervision anymore. They could do pretty much whatever they wanted.

The four hockey-playing singers were still laughing lightly as they retreated to their respective bedrooms to change out of their damp board shorts. They all came out of their rooms and met back up in the living room. Once they all gathered there, they sat down as one on the black-and-white sectional sofa. Kendall turned on the TV, finding that America's Funniest Home Videos was on.

As they periodically laughed at America's best blunders, James asked Logan, "What time are we heading over?"

Logan looked at his watch. "Well, I told Camille we'd be down there by five o'clock or so. It's…two-thirty now, and it's a 10 minute walk, so maybe we'll leave by quarter to five? Sound good?"

Everyone muttered an agreement and they went back to laughing at other people's stupidity.

Around three-thirty, Logan whipped up a quick fruit salad snack, and the boys immediately began a discussion about their past at the Palm Woods: the first time Camille had slapped Kendall, all four boys going after Jo, the "Palm Woods ghost", Hollywood Fever. Then they remembered the people: Mr. Bitters, the Jennifers, Buddha Bob, Guitar Dude.

Now they were all pumped up to see everyone. They hadn't thought about everyone back at their former home in quite some time. The boys had been hard at work and caught up in their new celebrity status, so that hadn't left much room to think about their friends and family all the time.

Five o'clock seemed to arrive with increasing slowness. Time was purposely lagging _because_ the boys were getting antsy.

Finally, at four-forty, they could no longer wait. They bounded out the door and were on street level faster than a hockey slap shot. Now that they had a destination, they, somewhat, took their time; but they ended up fast-walking the whole way, practically running into the lobby at the Palm Woods.

Mr. Bitters was the first to see their quick entrance. He nodded in their direction when the boys glanced at him and said a polite, "Hello boys. What brings you here on this fine day?" He'd been a lot nicer to them ever since they hit mainstream.

"Ah, just poppin' by for a visit," James explained breezily.

"Well, welcome back, boys!"

"Thanks, Bitters!" Kendall called back as they stepped on the elevator. Logan gave a short laugh because they were taking the elevator to go up one floor.

They had no time to talk in the elevator because seconds later, the doors opened and they made their way down the familiar path to their old room.

At the door to 2J, there was an excited hesitation among the boys as they wondered who should knock. Glancing around at each other, they each raised one fist and all knocked three times in tandem- their brotherly coordination at work.

Seconds ticked by without anyone coming to the door. _Maybe they're not home_, Kendall thought. But Logan knew they were supposed to be in there. Camille had told him to meet her in their old apartment.

Just when they were starting to worry, the door opened and the boys came face-to-face with Kendall's little sister, Katie. Same old Katie. Her gambling tendencies had not left her, but she was much prettier than two years ago. Now she was a budding tween, but could still punch out any guy who made a wrong move on her.

"Hey, losers," she greeted in her sisterly way.

"What's up, Katie?" Kendall returned. They shared their secret handshake and Katie gestured them all inside.

Once Katie closed the door, Kendall, James, Logan, and Carlos found themselves smiling widely again as they saw their mom (well, technically Kendall and Katie's mom) and Camille standing round a cake in the shape of a music note. They had party music playing softly through the stereo and the atmosphere was very homely.

"What's all this?" James inquired.

"Oh, it's just a little get-together we arranged," Camille explained. "You guys have been out here for two years, so we thought we'd give you a fun day before your lives consist of nothing but the studio and tour buses." 

Everyone chuckled at her logic.

Soon they were devouring the chocolate fudge cake and assorted munchies laid out on the coffee table in front of the couch. Ten minutes later, Mrs. Knight put in the movie _The Italian Job_ just as someone else knocked on the door. Kendall got up to go open the door and found Jo standing in his doorway.

"Hey," she said. "Mind if I join your little soirée?"

Kendall smiled and waved her in. "Of course not."

Once she was in the apartment, they exchanged a hug. But they knew what it meant. After their disastrous attempt to find common ground a year and a half ago, they had given up and accepted that they could only be friends. Currently, they were _best_ friends.

The same couldn't be said for Logan and Camille, however. As Kendall and Jo sat down on the couch, he glanced over at the other two. They were sitting very close, shoulder-to-shoulder, and were sharing one plate of food. And when he though no one was looking, Logan wrapped an arm around Camille and placed a soft kiss on her temple. Kendall looked at Jo and they shared an _Aww! They're so cute!_ look.

After everyone had eaten enough to last them the rest of the night, they all changed into their swimsuits and trunks (each of the boys still had a pair of trunks at the apartment) and headed down to the pool.

Exiting though the downstairs doors to the pool area, Kendall and Carlos felt right at home again and each cannon balled straight into the blue water, drenching the Jennifers as they were walking by.

The sun went down on the Palm Woods, but the 'get-together' still raged on. The boys organized a splash war in the pool with their old friends: Jo, Guitar Dude, Camille, Mandy, Sandy, and even the Jennifers joined for a couple minutes.

But all good things must come to an end. At about nine o'clock, Mr. Bitters came storming outside and forced them out of the pool because they had splashed a lot of water onto the lobby carpet (which everybody involved was surprised by). Laughing, everyone exited the pool. Someone had started a fire at the pit next to the pool and a girl was already sitting there, watching the events unfold.

Kendall had also noticed that someone had lit a fire. When he stepped out of the pool, he grabbed his towel off a chair and went to join the lonely-looking girl. He sat down next to her and sent a warm smile her way. "Hey, you should come join us. You look like you need some party time." He nodded his head over to his friends on the other side of the pool area.

The girl tilted her head to the side and observed the 'party' still raging on. "Nah. I'm already _so_ comfy here." To emphasize her point, she curled up on the bench under her towel, the fire warming her like a heated blanket.

Kendall still tried persuading her. "Are you sure? We're pretty fun." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Carlos, who was standing on his head with people trying to throw marshmallows into his mouth.

The girl laughed at Carlos' silliness. Looking at Kendall, she finally noticed how good-looking he was. His dark blond hair fell just below his thick eyebrows, concealing a little bit of his emerald-green eyes. His crooked smile called her in- she wanted to give in to his temptation. She wasn't one to judge on looks alone, and he seemed nice enough; he did look really familiar though, like she'd seen him in passing on TV.

Finally, she caved. "Alright. By the way, my name's Sam. Sam Wayland." She held out her hand to him.

He took her hand and firmly shook it. "Kendall Knight," he introduced himself.

Realization dawned on her. "Oh! You're in that band Big Time Rush, right?"

Kendall blushed slightly, the red tinge lost in the color the fire cast on his face. "Yeah. The other guys are here, too."

Sam continued. "Well, it's very nice to meet you. I'm a fan."

Kendall then looked at her like he expected her to jump his bones. Most of the fan girls were crazily obsessed with the band. They got mobbed wherever they were recognized.

"Don't worry. I'm not a crazy, obsessed fan girl," she reassured him, like she was reading his mind. "I'm just not _overly_ into you. But not that you're _not_ good, you guys are awesome live, and you're all so cute-"

Kendall chuckled lightly and the fire seemed to get brighter before Sam. She immediately blushed, her face turning prominently red in the firelight. "And I should probably stop talking now," she said, laughing nervously and burying her head in her knees.

"No, it's alright." Kendall grinned. He paused, looking over his shoulder. "Come on, the party- I mean 'social gathering'- is just getting started." He took her hand and led her to the 'dance floor', where everyone was gathered in a mass of bodies, swaying to the thumping bass pouring from the outdoor speakers. He pulled her over to the guys to introduce her.

"Logan, James, Carlos," Kendall began. "This is Sam. Sam, meet Logan, James, and Carlos."

"Hello."

"'Sup?"

"What's happenin'?" **(A/N: Carlos. lol)**

"Hey guys!" Sam greeted them. "I'm a big fan."

The three boys looked slightly scared that she would chase after them and bowl them over.

"It's okay guys, she's cool," Kendall comforted them.

They all visibly relaxed and started dancing to the amped up music.

An hour later, mostly everyone had dispersed back to their apartments, so the boys decided to head up as well.

"Hey, Sam, you coming with us?" Carlos called.

She looked at them gratefully, but asked cautiously, "Can I really?"

"Of course!" James answered.

She smiled hugely at them. "Thanks guys. Let me check in with my folks first. They'll get mad if they don't know where I'm going after curfew."

"That's cool. We'll take you there," Kendall offered. They all got into the elevator. Kendall's finger hovered over the number pad. "What floor?"

"Two," she said automatically.

"Wait," Carlos interrupted. "What apartment?"

Sam wondered where this was going. "2M. Why?"

Carlos leapt up in the elevator. "We're neighbors! We used to live in 2J!"

"Wow, that's so weird!" Sam stated.

The elevator stopped at the second floor. The group got out and made their way to Sam's apartment. She turned the key and called out into the dim light. "Mom? Dad!"

Sam's parents walked out of their bedroom, sporting bathrobes over their pajamas and carrying toothbrushes. "Sam! How are you?" her mother asked. Then her tone turned concerned. "Where have you been all night, sweetheart?"

"Don't worry, mom. I was just at an impromptu get-together/social gathering down at the pool." Sam looked back at the boys. "Speaking of which- mom, dad, this is Kendall, Logan, James, and Carlos, a.k.a. Big Time Rush." The boys all waved as each of their names was recited.

"It's lovely to meet you boys," Sam's dad said, shaking their hands. "You can call me Tom. This is my wife, Mary."

"It's nice to meet you," Logan smiled politely.

"Same for me," Mary said kindly.

_Now that the intros are over._ "Mom, is it alright if I hang with these guys for a while? We're just gonna be in their apartment- it's 2J. And don't worry. Kendall's mom, sister, and Logan's friend Camille will be there too. I promise I'll try to stay away from any and all drugs or alcohol," she finished jokingly.

Sam's mother smirked at her, but with a warning look, before turning to discuss it with her father. They talked quietly for a few moments before Tom finally stated, "Alright. You can go. Just let us know when you're home. Wake us up if you have to. Be safe."

Sam enveloped both her parents in a hug and gave them each a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks so much! I promise I won't be home too late. Love you!" she called as she and the boys exited apartment 2M.

"Love you too!" Tom and Mary called back simultaneously.

**Yay! This chapter's quite a bit longer than the first. Like, a thousand words longer. Whew!**

**Sorry if it seems a like I made Sam's parents a little dumb for letting her hang out with a bunch of boys she just met. She's a good girl and her parents trust her. I didn't write it to look like they're pushovers.**

**The next chapter will be shorter, though. I'll get it us ASAP, once I type it up and figure out a title for it. All the chapter titles for this story will be song titles that, somewhat, give a preview or set a mood for each chapter. I would suggest listening to each song before reading each chappie, but you don't have to!**

**Once again, reviews are appreciated! Reviewers get cookies….**

…**.You know you want to….Just push the button. Please?**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Crush

**So, yes, I'm back…..and I feel awful for leaving you guys for so long! I have seriously just been having a crappy time since mid-July. There's been a LOT of stuff going on that's been tough for me…plus I have to adjust to being a senior. It's my last year of high school and I have literally had ZERO time to write/type this story. Truthfully, I have been writing other stories; but don't fret- I have a lot more of this story written, I just have to figure out where to cut the chapters. Again, I am SO terribly sorry for being away….just please bear with me! **

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I'm not saying it again. I think we all know who owns BTR. I only own Sam and her parents and the plot.**

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The five teens walked into 2J and Sam had to gasp at what she saw. She'd never seen so much fun in one apartment.

A hand on her shoulder jerked her out of her awe-induced paralysis. Kendall spoke, "You okay, Sam?"

She looked at him. "Yeah…I've just never seen anything this cool!"

"Oh, okay. Go sit down. Can I get you something to drink?" He went over to the kitchen.

"Water's fine, thanks."

Kendall smirked. "Coming right up, miss," he said with an English accent.

Sam smiled as she took a seat on the couch. Logan was on her right, followed by James, Carlos, and a girl who looked to be about twelve.

"I'm Katie," the younger girl said, seeing Sam's wondering glance. "I'm Kendall's little sister. I may be small, but I pack a punch."

Sam was slightly nerved, and then she felt someone plop down next to her. Kendall handed her a glass of ice water. "Katie, play nice," he warned. "So Sam, tell us about yourself."

Sam didn't really know where to begin. "Well, I'm seventeen and originally from Colorado. I'm an only child, so my parents love all the good things I do; and no sibling rivalries!" She quickly looked nervously between Kendall and Katie before continuing. "I was discovered in a little hometown audition by Starr Records."

"So you're a singer?" James guessed.

Sam grinned. "Yeah, I guess so. I play the guitar a bit, too," she said a little sheepishly.

"Really?" Kendall asked excitedly. "You'll have to show us sometime!"

"Yeah, later maybe," she responded, staring into Kendall's eyes.

There was silence for several moments before she got bombarded with questions.

"What's your favorite color?"

"How long have you been playing guitar?"

"Do you have any pets?"

"Do you like hockey?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Sam was stunned by all the sudden inquiries. "Okay…um, green. Six years. No, my most recent pet died three years ago. Duh! And, no."

Kendall swelled with pride at her answer to the last question but kept it hidden so as not to scare her off.

The other, however, were super stoked that a girl in Hollywood actually _loved_ hockey.

"Oh, you _so_ have to come over to watch the Colorado-Minnesota game with us in a couple days!" James exclaimed.

"Why, so you can watch your precious Wild lose to the clearly superior Avalanche?" Sam teased.

All four boys jumped to the challenge. "You are ON!" Kendall and Carlos retaliated.

Logan stepped in before things could get more heated. "How about we make a friendly wager? Hmm?"

They all considered for a moment before James spoke up. "Okay, Sam. If Minnesota wins, you have to chew all the gum from under one of the café's tables down the street for five minutes."

As disgusting as it sounds, she'd already done that before. She'd been with her friends at an Avalanche game when her friend Stacy had dared her to eat the gum under her arena seat. Sam wasn't much of a daredevil, but she'd wanted to let loose for a while. She'd chewed the gum for a whole _period_. Five minutes would be nothing.

"Fine. And if the Avalanche win, you have to make-out with Logan for 15 seconds." She held out her hand to accept James' handshake.

"Done," Kendall cut in before anyone could disagree, shaking Sam's hand strongly. His expression made him seem to want to win more than James now.

"What?" James' and Logan's voices squeaked. They were so flabbergasted that their jaws had dropped to the floor and their eyes had almost popped out of their sockets.

Sam returned Kendall's forceful grip. "It's settled, then," she retorted. "See you Sunday night?"

"Yes. We. Will," Kendall enunciated, getting really close to Sam's face. His gaze was so intense, the pools of green so deep, that she couldn't pull away.

They continued their staring contest for another minute; Logan finally decided to cut in between them. "Let's wait until the game before all the animosity, children." His tone was playful, but had hints of caution underneath.

Suddenly Kendall and Sam busted out laughing. They sniggered and chuckled, snickered and chortled, and accomplished nothing but getting a stern warning from Mrs. Knight, which only made them laugh harder once she went away again.

Carlos playfully rolled his eyes at the two teens, now lying on the floor, clutching their stomachs as they rolled around in fits of extreme amusement. He knew it was all in good fun, though.

Soon enough, Sam caught her breath and looked up at the three standing boys, tears of laughter running down her strawberry-red cheeks. "Wow, that was so dumb," she proclaimed in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it, Sam," Logan chimed in. "That _was_ pretty funny. Except for the whole _dare_ part." He swallowed loudly.

Sam gave a nervous chuckle. "Sorry about getting so competitive. I've never really had anyone to do that with since I got here."

"Not a problem, Sam," Kendall reassured her.

Sam smiled at all of them. She finally had friends and the best ever; she could already tell. She'd technically only known them for a few hours, but they were so easy enough to get along with and know that it had felt like three lifetimes.

She looked at her watch- eleven forty-five. _Oh crap_, she thought. _I need to get home before Bitters can bust me_. "Um, sorry guys. But I need to get going. It's really late, and you know Bitters…"

The boys nodded at her statement. "Hey, I'll walk you back really quick," Kendall volunteered. He leapt back up off the floor, handed her things to her and soon they were making their way quickly but quietly down to her apartment.

Outside her door, she stopped to talk to Kendall. "I know this sounds cheesy, but I really did have a great time tonight. Thanks for inviting me to dance." She smiled a gigantic smile at him.

"Told you we have fun," Kendall reminded Sam.

"That, you did."

An awkward silence followed, neither knowing what to say. Kendall asked her for a pen and said, "I know this may be kind of weird for this situation, but here's my number." He scrawled his cell phone number on the back of her hand. "Just in case anything comes up."

"Alright. Thanks, Kendall," Sam replied graciously.

Then she reached into her purse to find her key, but fumbled with it as she tried to put it in the lock. Kendall noticed she did look _really_ tired. "Here," he offered. "Let me get that for you." With that, he slipped the key in and opened the door, the hinges making no noise as it opened to the dark apartment.

Sam realized how tired she felt at last. She barely managed to give Kendall a short "Goodnight" and hug before slipping into her apartment, leaving Kendall looking curiously at the door she had just shut.

As he was walking back to 2J, Sam flopped down on her bed, not even bothering to change into pajamas. That was possibly the best day of her life, up to that point, anyway.

Dreamland came to her moments later, and she was engulfed by feelings of contentment and relaxation.

That night, she dreamt of her new best friends, the four singing, hockey-playing goofballs from snowy Minnesota.

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**Review please! Is three to five reviews too much to ask before I post the next chapter? Pretty please? That little 'review' button is getting very lonely. :D**

**Oh, and did anyone listen to BTR online? It's hacking AWESOME! Just sayin'.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much to all my reviewers! I love you all and really appreciate everything you guys say! I'm sorry my updates have been next to NOTHING. School is really taking a toll on me, but I've pretty much got a free weekend, so I'm updating a ton of stuff- even a new story! :D**

**And I almost wasn't going to post today, because one of my classmate's older brothers was in a car-deer accident this morning and died. And it snowed where I live. So it's been kind of a downer day. Maybe posting a bunch of stuff on FF will cheer everyone up! :)**

**But anyway, this is the next chapter in the boys' journey.**

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Chapter 4- The Best Day

Everything was bright. She was so comfortable, but if someone would just turn off the lights, she could go back to the benign darkness.

Sam opened her eyes a slit, willing the cause of her blindness to disappear. Then she realized she was covered by her warm, fluffy comforter. She also found her head gently rested on her favorite down pillow from home. _Oh, I'm in my bed_.

She flipped the covers off of her upper body and sat up and stretched, her arms reaching up toward the ceiling. She turned her head slightly to look at her clock. The red LED letters read _10:19_.

"Holy crap," she muttered. She usually never slept this late, even after going later than two a.m.

Her bedroom doorknob turned and in walked her parents, already dressed in lazy Saturday clothes. "Morning, sweetheart," her mother cooed from the doorway.

"Morning, mom," Sam responded tiredly with a smile.

Her mother approached her bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress. "Your father and I have already eaten breakfast, but I can make you something if you'd like."

"Actually, mom," Sam said. "I'm not really hungry. I'll get something in a bit."

"Alright, sweetheart. We're going to go into town for a bit. It's already a lovely day, so we'd thought we'd go exploring," her mother explained. "Are you going to be okay by yourself?"

Sam replied quickly, not wanting to worry her mother. "Yeah, I'll find something to do. Maybe I'll go to the pool or walk down the street to get some take-out, or something. I'll be fine."

Mary squeezed her daughter's knee gently. "Okay, Sam." She stood up. "We're not sure what time we'll be back, so call if you need anything." She gave Sam a kiss on her forehead. "Love you."

"Love you, too, mom. Love you, dad!"

"Love you, too, honey," Tom called back, smiling at Sam. "See you later, sweetheart."

Sam heard the front door close and finally threw all of the sheets off of her. Looking down, she saw she was still in her day clothes. She also saw the numbers written on her hand and last night's events came rushing back to her. The party, the fire pit, the boys, going to their former apartment. Thinking about it brought back the happiest emotions she'd ever felt.

Getting out of bed, she slumped over to her closet, where she found a pair of clean jeans and a flow-y tank top to wear. Then she shuffled into the kitchen and went to the fridge. As she pulled out a Granny Smith apple, she thought, _Man, I can't wait for tomorrow night_.

She flopped down on her couch and flipped the TV on. Nothing good was on, so she settled for watching Spongebob. A classic.

Finishing her apple, Sam got up and threw the core in the trash and quickly washed her hands. She took a deep, cleansing breath and stretched out her stiff muscles again. She went to the living room window; the sunshine that streamed in added even more good feelings to Sam's mood. She looked down at the pool and decided she didn't really feel like swimming today. There were way too many still-unfamiliar faces.

Then she had a sudden inspiration to go to Jamba Juice. No clue as to why she felt the deep craving inside of her, she shoved on her red Converse, grabbed her sunglasses, keys, and purse, and walked out the door.

Once outside in the beautiful open air, she turned right and strode down Sunset Avenue **(A/N: not sure if there is one, or if there's a Jamba Juice on it. My story, my made up places. =])**. The sun was warm on her face and a light breeze tickled her skin each time it blew. She was hardly ever this enthusiastic, but yesterday hadn't been an ordinary day, after all.

Five minutes later, she stepped into the air-conditioned, lime-green-painted Jamba Juice. She casually strolled up to the counter an ordered a strawberry-orange smoothie- simple, yet delicious.

When the barista got her smoothie, Sam paid her and went to sit down at an empty booth. She just sat there and thought about anything and everything, not really having a reason as to why. Time seemed to fly by and as she came out of her thoughts, it was eleven-thirty and she was only halfway done with her smoothie. She decided to finally pay attention to how fast she drank it.

She had about one-quarter of it left when a voice spoke from beside her table, "Mind if we take a seat?"

Sam was about to turn down the voice (she wouldn't let a complete stranger sit with her, of course) when she looked up and saw none other than Logan and Carlos.

"Hey guys!" She stood up and grabbed them both into a hug. "Oh my gosh! Of course, sit down. What're you guys doing here?"

"Carlos and I have a break from the studio for an hour, so we told James and Kendall we'd grab some lunch," Logan explained, sliding into the booth.

"Yeah," Carlos said, sipping on his apple-kiwi smoothie. "Gustavo's got us doing harmonies all day, but said he's got something important to tell us later."

"Oh." was all Sam said.

The three spent the next half-hour conversing about their lives. Logan and Carlos told Sam about growing up and about their experiences in LA. Sam, in exchange, told them about how _she'd_ grown up in Colorado and what she'd been doing out here the last six months: auditioning constantly, singing almost every day, not having many friends.

At noon, Sam, Logan, and Carlos departed form Jamba Juice. They gave each other goodbye hugs and went their separate ways.

Now that she'd found out a lot about the boys, even James, she was still curious about Kendall. He seemed introverted, but he also partied a lot. This confused Sam as she opened her apartment door with no memory of walking into the Palm Woods.

One thing was for sure: She couldn't wait for the hockey game tomorrow night.

* * *

Logan and Carlos walked into Rocque Records with the four bags of Subway they had grabbed after talking with Sam. They were worried they would get told off because they were five minutes late. Sure enough, Gustavo noticed them and just angrily pointed them to the break room, not doubt where Kendall and James were. They quickly trode into the room where the other two teens waited anxiously.

"It's about time!" Kendall exclaimed.

James grabbed his sub from the pile on the table. "Yeah, what took you guys so long?"

"Well," Logan started. "You see, we went to Jamba Juice for a smoothie on our way. And we happened to run into Sam, and we got to talking about things and-"

"You guys saw Sam?" Kendall asked sanguinely.

"Whoa, calm yourself, Kendall," Carlos quelled.

"Jeez, Kendall. What's up with you lately?" James wondered. "Ever since last night, you've been so amped up about Sunday. What gives?" He gasped slightly. "You _like_ her, don't you?"

"What?" Kendall's voice broke nervously. "All I did was walk her back to her apartment. That doesn't mean I automatically like her!" _Don't lie to yourself, Kendall._

"Alright, alright; I'm sorry I said it," James recanted. They all ate their subs in silence, then. They were all mostly finished when Gustavo barged in loudly.

"Dogs! My office. Now!"

In his office, Gustavo sat behind his big black desk and looked at them seriously, Kelly by his side. "Dogs, I have some good news for you."

They all waited with baited breath, no one daring to guess the news this time.

"Right now, as we speak, all of your possessions are being moved-"

"Wait! Where?"

"Why?"

"You can't just take our stuff-"

Gustavo held up his hand. "I wasn't done." The boys quieted before he continued. "As I was saying, your possessions are being moved to a new location. The record company feels you need a reward. So I called in a few favors." With that, he got up out of his chair and began walking out of his office. "Follow me, boys."

The four teens followed him; he took them downstairs, outside and into a limo. Confusion was written all over their faces, especially when Kelly told them, "Put these blindfolds on. You're not allowed to see where we're going until we get there. Just do it. It'll make things much easier."

They obliged with trepidation. First James (who complained that the blindfold would ruin his hair) then Logan, Kendall, and Carlos fastened the cloth around their heads, unable to see anything once they were done.

They felt the vehicle move and were slightly nerved at what they were about to face. Gustavo had said the record company was rewarding them, so how bad could it be?

Several minutes later, the limo lurched to a stop and Kelly helped the boys out of the limo, their blindfolds still on. She lined them up in a row, and then Gustavo counted down for them to take the cloths off.

Before them stood an elaborate mansion, three stories high, a gated driveway behind them, and the biggest yard they'd seen since coming to California.

They were unable to speak due to temporary emotional paralysis, so Gustavo spoke for them.

"Welcome to your new home, Dogs."

**Okay, so not much plot…not my fault. There needs to be a filler chapter here and there! But who's ready to see the big game coming up soon (in the story, lol)? It's gonna get pretty intense. Believe me- I've had it written for, like, five months. *dies* And the boys' house is pretty AWESOME. It'll be way better than Gustavo's.**

**And who else loved the BTR episode tonight? (Big Time Sneakers) I loved the James/Logan moments and then Mama Knight being all O.o 'WTF?' XD**

**At least four more reviews, please? It's not much to ask for. I just want to know that I have people who are actually reading my story.**

**R&R please!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- It's On

**So, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Is anybody still in a food coma? Or still with 'food baby'? I know I am. XP**

**I don't really have anything else to say, really. Thanks to all my reviewers! Please enjoy this next chapter!**

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Sunday morning dawned to murky, dark gray skies. Sam was already up and watching the weather. The forecast was rain. All day. _Perfect weather to stay inside, and say…watch a hockey game?_ Sam thought.

The impending rain couldn't dampen her mood though. She was in such a high spirits that she cooked her parents pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon and toast when they wandered out of bed. Sam wasn't one to regularly whip up magnificent Sunday breakfasts, but her mother and father were just glad she was happy and didn't question it.

Picking up a forkful of eggs, Sam's mother asked, "What time do you plan on heading over to the boys', sweetie?"

"Well, I was gonna call them first," Sam said. "The game starts at six, so probably a little before that."

"Alright, hon. Your father and I have to go to another all-day seminar today. You know we always hate leaving you here by yourself, but with our work…"

Sam understood. To get a little extra money while they were here (even though the record company paid for most things) her parents had gotten jobs at an entertainment business firm. They now knew about what was happening with their daughter, but they weren't working for her record company.

Sam waved it off. "Don't worry, mom. It's necessary. I can't be mad about that. I'll probably just watch a couple movies and make some lunch here until I leave."

"If you're sure," her father, Tom, commented. "We best be going anyway." He stood up, finishing a last bite of toast and gathered everyone's empty dishes, putting them in the sink. He and Mary were already dressed in business attire, so they each game Sam a quick kiss on the head and a sincere "I love you" before heading out the door.

Sam rose from her chair and half-heartedly scraped the plates off before depositing them in the dishwasher. She then went to her room and changed into a vintage tee and sweats. She walked back out with her guitar in hand, just in case she wanted a little solo jam session.

The first movie she chose to watch was Wall-E. She just loved that adorable little robot! **(A/N: Who DOESN'T love him? He's so freaking CUTE! C: )** After two hours of almost-too-much cuteness, she turned the TV onto a random cartoon she liked. She didn't pay attention to it, though. Instead, she plunked out chords on her guitar- which she had named Emma, after her all-time favorite actress.

She had roughly laid out what sounded like the makings of a new song when a clap of thunder echoed form outside the window. Looking up from her page of notes, rhythms, and chords, she saw that the sky had opened up- it was raining. Not very hard, though.

Sam subconsciously wondered what time it was. She looked at the large wall clock and noticed it was three forty-five. _Dang_, she thought. _Time flies when you're…having fun_.

She took out her cell phone and pressed SEND when she reached Kendall's contact on her list. She waited three rings before someone picked up. "Hello?"

"Kendall! Hey, it's Sam."

On the other side of the line, Kendall's stomach filled with butterflies. "Oh, hey! How are you?"

"Good, you?"

"Actually, I'm fantastic! Although, the rain does put a damper on moving day."

Confusion consumed Sam's brain. "Wait, you guys moved?"

"Yeah!" Kendall replied excitedly. "You'll never believe what Gustavo got for us!"

"Oh, so I'm assuming we're watching the game over _there_, then?"

"Well, yeah! It'll be like a house-warming party."

Sam had to laugh. "Okay, then. But how will I get there?"

"That's simple: I'm picking you up," Kendall said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, _really_?" Sam smirked.

"Yep. Well, I've got to go; the guys need my help moving stuff, so I'll see you around quarter to six?" Kendall quickly guesstimated.

"Sure! And don't forget to remind James and Logan of the stakes."

This time Kendall laughed. "Oh, I won't."

"Good, so see you in a bit?"

"Yeah," Kendall grinned.

Then Sam smiled. "I'll be waiting."

"So will I." And with that, they hung up.

It was a few moments before Sam set her phone down. By that time, she had a weird feeling in her stomach region. She felt ready to barf, but she knew she wasn't sick. She shrugged it off. It was probably nerves about going to a new place with a bunch of cute guys.

Four o'clock came and went, then five. At five-fifteen, Sam was dressed in casual skinny jeans and her red Converse once again (to go with her Avalanche jersey). She grabbed a hoodie in case she got caught in the rain, and then she waited in the living room.

At five-forty, Kendall walked into the Palm Woods and made his way up. Outside her door, he took a few calming but pep-rally-like breaths before knocking on Sam's door. She opened it in seconds, revealing to him that she was totally ready for the game- what with her jersey get-up and all. "Somebody's a little enthusiastic," Kendall commented on her outfit.

"At least somebody is," Sam shot back with a teasing smile. She left her apartment and shut the door.

Once to the car, they buckled up and Kendall began driving back to his new 'pad.'

"By the way," he started telling Sam. "I have my Wild's jersey at the house, so I'm totally gonna put it on when we get there."

"Don't copy me!" Sam exclaimed with mock insult.

"Don't think of it like that; think of yourself as a trendsetter," Kendall quipped.

"Yeah, because that makes me feel _so_ much better."

The two sat in comfortable silence until they reached the gates of the boys' mansion. When Sam saw it, a '_what the hell?_' look crossed her face as she turned toward Kendall.

"Welcome to 'Chateau Big Time Rush'."

Sam was already pretty sure tonight was going to be a night to remember.

* * *

It was raining pretty modestly, so Sam and Kendall ran past the U-Haul trucks and though the open front door. Inside, Sam stared around her at all the marble, gold, porcelain, and mahogany wood that made up the spacious interior. "Holy Schnikes," was all she managed.

"Yeah, we're all still adjusting," Kendall said next to her. "We still sometimes get lost in here."

Sam still gawked. "I can see why. This place is HUGE!"

"You got _that_ right!" A voice called above them. They looked in the direction they heard it and saw Carlos at the top of the ornate staircase. He stood at the mouth of a long yellow tube that sloped downward on the outside of the staircase rail. He slid in, tapping his helmet twice, and was out the swirly slide in a jiffy. He landed on a stunt pad, rolled off, and came over to give Sam a big bear-hug. "Whaddup, Sam?"

"Not much, Carlos," Sam breathed. "But could you let go? You're kind of squishing me."

"Oh, sorry!" He let go and they all went to sit down on their black-and-white couch.

Soon, the movers dispersed and left the driveway, leaving the five friends alone in the living room.

The pre-game show had just started, so the four boys went upstairs to get some things. A minute later, they each emerged form the end of the slide and sauntered back over to the couch. Much to Sam's delight (or was it displeasure?), the boys of Big Time Rush all wore matching Minnesota Wild jerseys. _Oh, it's _so_ on_, Sam thought to herself.

The first period of the game started with Minnesota scoring the opening goal. The boys cheered in Sam's face, but she waved it off because she knew Colorado would come back _hard_.

Sure enough, five minutes later, Colorado scored; two minutes later they scored _again_. This time, Sam got in _their_ faces.

Between periods, Logan got the gang munchies from the kitchen. He brought out Cheetos, chips, dip, pretzels, crackers, and any other game-day favorites, including three two-liters of Coca-Cola.

At the end of the second period, Colorado was still up two-to-one. This made James and Logan a little nervous, seeing as how they knew what would happen if Minnesota lost.

But things were getting heated, on and off the ice. As more fights broke out on the ice, each teen rooted for their team's player that was involved. They made a _lot_ of noise. Everyone was yelling at one another and Sam was getting into it more than the boys, and they were hockey _fanatics_.

Minnesota took the lead back with six minutes left in the third period (the last one of the game), much to the boys' delight. Soon after, however, Colorado tied the game, bringing it to overtime.

The tension was thick enough to cut with a steak knife in the mansion as they waited out the final minutes of overtime. Each teen was coiled tighter than a spring as Colorado made a desperate, but well-planned shot at the goal the player maneuvered himself into position and slapped the puck; it sailed into the net over Minnesota's goalie's shoulder.

The crowd roared at the arena, but couldn't be compared to the cacophony of noise that erupted in the mansion. Sam was rubbing the win in Kendall's and Carlos' faces; on the other side of the couch, Logan turned pale and James was mentally preparing himself.

Eventually, they all calmed down enough to start laughing. As one, Sam, Kendall, and Carlos rotated their heads to star at Logan and James. The two boys gulped audibly, not really wanting to look at each other. Sam decided to act. "C'mon guys! You _have_ to do it. It's only fifteen seconds!"

_Yeah_, Logan thought bitterly. _Fifteen seconds where I'd rather be in a medically-induced coma_.

James was also feeling the heat. He did _not_ kiss guys. Yes, he loved his friends, but like brothers. He definitely did _not_ roll that way; no matter what the tabloids said, he wasn't gay.

Kendall, Carlos, and Sam all bit their lips to hide the smirks forming on their faces as James and Logan inched forward. Both looked like they had a bad stomach ache, but continued to lean in.

Their lips met reluctantly, but softly, each boy's eyes closing at the contact. Their mouths worked together in perfect harmony, James easily assuming control over the scrawnier boy, but never overpowering him. The other three had to stuff their fists in their mouths or cover their faces with pillows the stifle their laughter. Sam looked up from her chintz throw pillow and her eyes met Kendall's. They were both snickering at their friends' display, but something seemed to pass between them. Red patches appeared on their cheeks as they quickly looked away from each other, but not before sharing a couple sideways glances and smiles.

Meanwhile, James and Logan were still locking lips. Everyone but them was having too much fun to interrupt. Logan, being the more cautious one, finally broke away from James and asked, "How long has it been, guys?"

Sam looked at her watch. _Oops_. "Twenty-seven seconds."

"Oh, God!" James shot up from his seat, grabbed the nearest two-liter and started chugging it down.

"Aw, guys, come on," Carlos teased. "I could tell you were both enjoying it!"

Logan stood up robotically. He walked away from everyone slowly, his body twitching like after the time Gustavo had sat on him almost two years ago. He went upstairs, muttering something about taking a shower. James, on the other hand, went to the other side of the mansion to brush his teeth.

Once Logan and James were out of sight, the living room erupted in laughter once again. Kendall, Sam, and Carlos were laughing so hard they immediately tumbled off their seats onto the shag rug. Each curled up into themselves as their sides almost split, abs burning with the workout their howls of amusement were giving them. Several minutes later, their laughs died down and they all gingerly sat up where they'd fallen. Looking around, the three teens saw that they all had tears streaming down their red faces. This sight earned a couple more chuckles.

"Ow! Don't make me laugh anymore!" Sam begged, clutching her abdomen. "It hurts too much to laugh now!"

"I know! Isn't it awesome?" Carlos exclaimed.

Kendall gave a small laugh. "I don't think I've ever laughed that hard. _Ever_." He cringed as he chucked again. "I don't think my abs have hurt this much either._ Ever_."

They took a few moments to catch their breath and situated themselves back on the couch, waiting for Logan and James to reappear. Kendall turned the TV channel back to _Mythbusters_ to fill the time. He casually draped an arm on top of the couch behind Sam. She thought nothing of it.

Carlos was getting really into the episode on the TV (which just happened to involve blowing things up) when Logan walked down the stairs. He had a whole new outfit on and his hair was still wet from his quick shower. "You guys suck," he stated simply without looking at any of them.

James emerged out of the bathroom seconds later. He sat on the opposite side of the couch from Logan. Glaring sideways at everyone, he asked, "We never speak of this again?"

"Agreed," everyone chorused simultaneously, Logan putting a little more emphasis on the words than the others.

**

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**

**Okay, just to clarify, this will NOT be a slash story at all. Not even in a sub-plot. I am definitely not one opposed to it (wink wink), but it wouldn't work in this story. I just HAD to put that Jagan moment in there. I was laughing _so hard _when I wrote that part. XD**

**And four more reviews? Pretty please? In celebration of the holiday, if I get four reviews, I will try to update by the end of next week. If I get between five and ten reviews (or more, I don't mind) I will make it my mission to update by NO LATER than Sunday afternoon. I just REALLY want to know that people are reading my story!**

**R&R please! :)**

**And don't forget to alert! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6- My First Kiss

**So, sorry for the delay. Once again, I've been swamped with school work. -dies- But I have two weeks off, and even though I do have other homework in my stupid AP Literature class, I still hope to update at least a few times a week. I have other stories I'm working on as well, so I'm hoping to get those up before the New Year. :)**

**And thanks to all my reviewers of the last chapter! I love you all. You know who you are. **

**Hope you like this chappie, 'cause it's pretty long!**

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At quarter to ten, Sam decided it would be a good time to head home. She called her parents to say that she would be home in about fifteen minutes. They told her they would be in the apartment waiting and hoped she had had a good time.

Not surprisingly, Kendall volunteered to drive Sam home, but Logan decided he would join them as well. (He still needed some time away from James.) Seeing that it was pouring outside, Sam put on her hoodie as a rain jacket.

"Logan! Grab the Focus's keys!" Kendall called.

"Where are they?"

"Um, I think it's on the rack in the kitchen."

Logan walked into the kitchen to look for the keys. While he was there, Sam gave James and Carlos hugs. "I had such an awesome time, guys. We definitely need to do this again sometime, because I _know_ you'll want a rematch."

"Oh hell yeah! We'll just make sure to go easier on you next time," Carlos told her.

"Sure, Carlos," Sam smiled.

Next was James. "That was…fun…more or less. But please don't ever make me do that again! That was awful. No offense to Logan, though," he added sympathetically.

"Sorry, James. I'll try," she said, hugging him around his waist. He was so _tall_.

Kendall came up behind her after she walked away from James and put a hand on her shoulder. "C'mon," he said to her, nodding his head toward the door. "Let's go wait in the car. Logan will be out in a minute."

They both walked out the front door into the night, putting their hoods over their heads on their way down the steps. The air was chilly, so Sam put her hands in her pocket. Turning to Kendall in the dim light of the porch lamps behind them, she said, "Today was amazing. I had so much fun!"

Kendall smiled at her. "Me too. Now you're one of us. Once you survive a hockey game with us, there's no going back. You're in _forever_."

"The guys won't be mad that they lost a bet to a girl?" Sam smirked.

"Maybe for a little while, but they get over stuff like that pretty quickly." He paused. "Although, you probably scarred James and Logan for _life_."

The laugh that escaped his lips suddenly turned Sam's insides to mush. It was a very musical laugh; she'd never been alone with him long enough to notice it. Her stomach felt queasy again as she felt a small blush creep up her cheeks. She tried hiding it by laughing along with him and looking forward after several seconds. They were still about twenty feet from the Ford Focus she'd be driven home in.

"Do you _always_ park your car this far away?" she asked him suddenly.

"Nah. We just kinda-sorta forgot to bring them to the garage. There was just so much action today that the little things can be forgotten easily."

They finally made it to the car. Their sweatshirts were drenched at the hood and shoulders, but they were both still plenty warm. "Shotgun, or backseat?" Kendall offered.

Sam laughed internally at how awkward that may or may not have sounded, but she thought about it for a moment and replied, "Shotgun."

The blonde proceeded to open the door and made a gesture with his arm that said _After you._ Sam smiled a bit. She had one foot in the front seat when, out of nowhere, a blinding bolt of lightning struck across the front lawn from the two teens, instantaneously followed by a thunderclap powerful enough to rattle the asphalt under their feet and bruise their eardrums.

To say they were startled was an understatement. To say they were _terrified_ was also an understatement. Kendall and Sam jumped away from the car as if it were electrified; Kendall slammed the passenger door shut on reflex. "Holy shit!" he screamed over the thunder's roar.

Instinctively, Sam and Kendall picked themselves off the driveway, grasped hands and bolted back to the mansion. The rain came down in buckets and they could hardly keep their footing, let alone see where they were going. An adrenaline-pumping half-minute later, they gratefully collapsed onto the front porch. A couple feet of dry concrete and awning separated them from the monsoon. They stood up, laughing hysterically, hands still clasped, watching the rain obscure their vision of the driveway.

Sam at last found her voice. "Wow. What a rush!" she breathed.

Kendall squeezed her hand gently in return, still breathing heavily. "You mean a _big time rush_?" he asked without thinking. He quickly stopped himself and smiled sheepishly over at Sam, who was just smirking and rolling her eyes playfully. He swallowed and cleared his throat before he trailed his eyes up and down her soaking clothes. "Anyways, are you hurt at all?"

"No. At least, I don't _think_ so." She did a quick once-over. "Nope, still in one piece."

Kendall smiled, his pearly whites somehow glistening in the amber light that hung over their area. He clenched her hand slightly in his; he felt her squeeze back. "Well, that's good," he whispered, his hot breath caressing her cheek.

It was then that Sam realized how close they were standing. Only a few inches separated them now; sometime during their short conversation they had huddled together, almost unconsciously, to stay warm as their dripping-wet clothes cooled their skin.

Sam looked up at Kendall. Their faces were so close that she could see tiny gold flecks sparkling in his deep green eyes. The world spun around her as he leaned in toward her, agonizingly slow, his breath mixing with hers as their lips were centimeters apart…

"Wow, this is gonna be one hell of a storm…" The front door opened and Logan appeared on the doorstep, his eyes facing down at the welcome mat.

Kendall and Sam had jumped apart as soon as they'd heard the tell-tale creak of the hinges. They quickly unclasped their hands, but neither wanted to let go.

"Logan!" Kendall greeted his friend, his voice a little too high, like he was telling a lie. "H-hey, what's up?"

The raven-haired teen looked between the blonde and brunette, not seeming to notice the blushes on their faces and awkward body language. "Oh, uh…I was just coming out here to tell you guys that there's a severe thunderstorm warning. I was just going to say it might not be safe to drive Sam home."

All three teens looked out at the torrential downpour in tandem. "Yeah, I think that's a good guess," Sam whispered nervously. They all stepped back through the threshold, into the warm, welcoming mansion. Once inside, Sam and Kendall realized how soaked they were. Their clothes were heavy with water and they looked like they'd just walked out of a lake.

"So, what happened, Kendall? I thought you guys were going to wait in the car?" Logan inquired.

"Well," Kendall began, not knowing exactly what to say. "That is an _excellent_ question that I will answer in _just_ a minute." He turned to Sam, who was currently shivering despite the mansion's cozy heat. "First, come upstairs and I'll get you some dry clothes to wear."

She smiled as she took his hand, and they made their way up the carpeted staircase. Sam had to chuckle at the swirly slide. _Only Carlos._

At the top of the stairs, Kendall led Sam left and they walked to the end of the lengthy hall. He stopped outside the last door on the left and opened it.

Clothes and boxes of Kendall's possessions yet to be put away littered the floor. The walls were white and the closet was spilling its contents onto the baby blue carpet. The wall opposite the bedroom door was made almost entirely out of windows- or one really big one. But in the fluorescent light, the one thing that really stood out was the enormous four-poster bed, made of rich mahogany wood, covered in sheets the exact color of Kendall's eyes.

"I know it's not finished yet, so don't mind it," Kendall said shyly.

Sam continued to stare at his room, mouth open slightly. "No, it's wonderful. I wish _my_ room was this big!"

Kendall strode over to a pile of neatly stacked clean clothes and rummaged around until he found a pair of sweatpants and a white v-neck. He walked back over to the shorter brunette and set them in her arms. "Here you go. They're probably a little big for you, though."

"That's okay, Kendall. I like wearing baggy sweats." She grinned at him and walked out his door. Five steps down the hallway, she realized something. Backtracking, she poked her head back into his room. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Trust me, my directions will suck because it's so confusing to get there, so just use my room. I'd rather get lost than have you get lost." He went to stand in the doorway. "I'll just leave you t it. See you downstairs," he said as he swung the door shut. Sam waited a few seconds, listening to his retreating footsteps, before she changed gratefully into his nice, warm, _dry_ clothes that smelled just like him (though they were freshly laundered).

A couple minutes later, she headed downstairs, clothes dry, but hair still wet. At least she was comfortable in the roomy pants, the elastic band gently hugging her hips with the drawstrings drawn all the way. All the boys were sitting on the couch, still fully engrossed in the blowing up of things on Mythbusters. On her way to the living room, Sam grabbed her phone to tell her mom she wouldn't be coming home.

"Alright, Sam; I understand. I also think it's too dangerous to be on the roads right now," her mother agreed, static straying at the edge of hearing. "Call us in the morning, sweetie. Be safe."

Sam knew her mom's _Be safe_ had two meanings, but reassured her she would obey in both respects. She hung up and put the phone in her pocket, walking over and plopping herself down between Kendall and Logan.

"So what happened out there?" Logan asked again.

Sam and Kendall dove into the tale, reliving the experience as they described it: they'd almost been to the car, lightning struck, they stumbled back to the house in the pounding rain, scared out of their minds.

"So, I was gonna tell _you_ that I didn't think we should take her home either," Kendall explained to Logan.

"Looks like you're stuck with us _again_, Sam," James teased from the opposite side of Logan.

"Oh no! What am I going to do? I don't think I'll survive!" She mock-fainted into the back of the couch.

Kendall went over to the movie rack, chuckling under his breath. "How about a funny movie to lighten the mood? Any requests?"

"Something Adam Sandler?" Sam suggested.

He went back to the shelf. "Hmm…How about…" he searched through all the Adam Sandler movies they had. "_Happy Gilmore_?" Everyone agreed, and Kendall popped it into the DVD player.

He went and settled himself back on the couch next to Sam. She inconspicuously cuddled into him as he put his arm on the couch behind her. Soon enough, they were all comfortable as they watched Happy Gilmore turn from hockey-reject to pro golfer.

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"_Let me guess- the ninth-green-at-nine trick?"_

Kendall, James, Logan, Carlos, and Sam were still watching _Happy Gilmore_. They all loved that movie; they'd all seen it at least twelve times each, but they still laughed at all the right parts.

By that time, the coffee table they all had their feet resting on was overflowing with snacks- buckets of popcorn, M&Ms, soda bottles, cookies, and other various candies littered the table top. They were also all very comfy. James and Logan were over the 'incident' and were back to messing with each other. Carlos had had a sugar buzz about ten minutes before, so he had spent a good five minutes sliding and crawling up _and down_ the swirly slide. He finally ran out of buzz and had settled into the softest cushion on the couch.

But Kendall and Sam were easily the _most _comfortable. They were sitting so close that they were touching from shoulder to ankle on one side. They had a fluffy, red blanket draped over them, hiding the fact that they brushed their hands and fingers together every few seconds, always smiling and sharing secret sidelong glances.

"_Harness in the good energy, block out the bad. Harness. Energy. Block. Bad. It's like a carousel. You put the quarter in, you get on the horse, it goes up and down, and around. Circular, circle. Feel it. Go with the flow."_

"_Psycho" _said Happy Gilmore in a 'this guy's crazy' tone.

With a flash of white-purple light from outside, the mansion was plunged into sudden darkness. A faraway rumble of thunder accentuated the complete silence in the house; there was no whir of electronic devices anywhere.

Several seconds later, everyone finally accepted that the power was out. All four boys went to work- Logan went to find flashlights, Carlos wandered to get the sleeping bags, and James began moving furniture around. Kendall turned to Sam in the darkness and told her, "Stay here." He got up to help James just as Logan came back with the flashlights and a battery-powered lamp. Their immediate area was flooded with light, allowing Kendall and James to see where they were moving the furniture.

The boys eventually made a space on the giant rug in front of the couch big enough for several sleeping bags, with which Carlos had reappeared. He was carrying and dragging five, all different colors. He set them in the space and they all began unrolling. Sam got up to help them- she'd been camping dozens of times- but they waved her back to the couch. "You're the guest," Logan explained. "Let us do it."

Five minutes later they had gotten their sleeping backs organized. James, Logan, Kendall, and Sam were in a line, heads against the couch, and Carlos was lying horizontally at their feet. No one wanted to sleep, so they stayed up talking about anything and everything.

Sam had one question, however. "How did you guys do that so quickly?" she asked, referring to the sleeping bag set-up.

"We always had power outages when we'd stay at each other's houses back in Minnesota," Kendall explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Then they talked about nothing in particular, but they felt like they were discussing the whole world.

One by one they eventually nodded off: first James, then Carlos, and then Logan. Only Kendall and Sam remained awake. They had snuggled into their respective sleeping bags and were lying down, facing each other, still talking about random things that came to mind.

"So you really _mooned_ another player during a game?" asked Sam curiously.

"Yeah, but Carlos and I were ejected for 'un-sportsman-like mooning'." Kendall laughed at the memory. "But what would you expect? We were only twelve!"

"No doubt," Sam concurred. She truly enjoyed talking with Kendall. The two things they had most in common was music and their love of hockey. It was nice, though, that even though Kendall was a hockey-head, he never talked about hockey more than any other subject. But it didn't matter what they were talking about because Sam loved hearing the sound of Kendall's voice. It was a beautiful lower-tenor pitch and as melodic as a lullaby.

In the dim lamplight, she could see the blonde's emerald eyes, bright with laughter. He could also see hers; Sam's chocolate orbs sparkled at him, matching the sweet smile on her face.

The silence that followed was comfortable- as warm and friendly as a childhood blanket. They only sounds to be heard were the _pitter-patter_ of rain outside and the slow, steady breathing of the boys behind Kendall's back. Kendall's thoughts were still restless; he hoped Sam was still awake, for she had gotten quiet. "Sam?" he whispered.

"Mmm, yeah?" she responded without opening her eyes.

Kendall took a breath before he continued. "About earlier, on the porch-"

"Don't worry about it, Kendall," said Sam nonchalantly. "It's no big deal."

His face fell slightly, her words hurting him more than they should have.

Sam opened her eyes, puzzled by Kendall's silence. Her eyebrows furrowed together in regret. "Did I say something wrong? What were you going to say?"

"Well," Kendall hesitated, not knowing how to put his request into words. "I was just wondering…if- if you wanted…t-to fin-finish…umm..." What was happening? He _never_ stuttered. He was the leader, but even _he _knew how lame he had sounded.

The synapses in Sam's brain clicked in recognition of what he was asking. Her heart swelled and butterflies danced around in her stomach. She bit her lip, grinning goofily as her cheeks reddened.

Taking her nonresponsiveness as her being insulted, Kendall quickly backtracked. "I- I mean, only if _you_ want to. You don't have to- I'm sorry I even _suggested_-"

"Kendall!" Sam put a finger to his lips. "It's _okay_. I like you, and _yes_; I want to finish where we left off." She smiled kindly at him.

For the second time that night, they leaned into each other, cautiously so as not to upset the other. Their foreheads made contact gently and their lips just barely brushed together, but didn't quite touch. Sam closed the miniscule distance between them, bringing her lips to Kendall's.

It was a very quick kiss, chaste; they were just testing the waters. Bringing their heads away slightly, Sam and Kendall searched each other's faces, emerald eyes meeting chocolate in silent agreement. This time, they brought their mouths together with fervency, their lips crashing in ecstasy. They harmoniously worked their way deeper into the kiss: Kendall brought one hand to the back of Sam's neck, holding her close to him. Sam responded by entwining her fingers into his shaggy, blonde locks. Now there was almost no space between them.

Taking more initiative, Kendall rolled himself so he was hovering over Sam, never breaking the kiss. The girl below him then brought her arms up around his neck, forcing him to practically lie on top of her; he was still propped up on his elbows so he wouldn't put _all_ of his weight on her, though.

After a minute or two, the blonde cautiously darted his tongue into Sam's mouth. She let out a light gasp, but melted even further into their embrace. Following his example, she, too, stuck her tongue out, and they were both immediately met with an explosion on their taste buds. Their mouths seemed to fit so perfectly together, their tastes mingling with each other's creating a wonderfully euphoric atmosphere.

But not able to go any deeper with the kiss, the two teens slowly made their way down from their high, ending the kiss they would rather not have. Breathing heavy, they started at each other, their eyes dazzlingly bright in the lamplight. They continued kissing once again, this time, though, with short and sweet pecks. Kendall didn't take it any further than that, even though they _both_ somewhat wanted to. He wanted to be a gentleman about that.

Smiling wider than they ever had in their entire lives, the lovebirds kissed one more time before Kendall rolled off of Sam and into his sleeping bag. They immediately grasped hands, intertwining their fingers together, desperate to keep contact.

Because the sleeping bags would limit their touching, they lithely unzipped Kendall's bag all the way and grabbed the blanket from the couch to drape over themselves. Once Sam was spooned into Kendall and he had put his arms around her waist, he gave her temple a light kiss before whispering in her ear. "Goodnight, Sam."

She sleepily replied, "Night, Kendall," and was soon drifting off to sleep, warm and safe in Kendall's arms.

She'd known it was going to be a good day.

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**So, good? Bad? Please R and R! Can I ask for _three _reviews? Pretty please? How many _pretty_'s am I gonna have to put on before you review? -gives Knight family puppy dog eyes-**

**Thanks for reading! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- Bad Case of Loving You

**Well, hello. Been a while, hasn't it? It's Christmas Eve, so I thought, "Why not post another chapter for all my lovely people?" This is my gift to you. :D**

**Merry Christmas! And if you don't celebrate, Happy Holidays!**

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_(The next morning)_

There was something in the air…an odor. It was a good odor, not like garbage, but not perfume. It smelled familiar, inviting, like home.

Sam smelled it and pictures floated into her dream: breakfast with her parents, especially Saturday mornings- family time. She loved that smell, and loved the taste even more.

Bacon.

The smell was stronger now, as if it were right under her nose. Opening her sleep-laden eyes, she saw that there actually _was_ a plate of bacon, eggs, toast, and hash browns in front of her. Squatting behind the tray was Kendall, his emerald eyes bright.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," he greeted.

Sam grinned at him and stretched out her stiff muscles. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked at the plate of food. "I'm assuming the power came back on, then?" she commented.

"Yeah; Logan and I made breakfast for everyone. You were still out, so I brought you a tray, just in case you woke up." Kendall smiled back at her.

Sam sat up and Kendall set the tray in her lap. She started scarfing down the eggs gratefully. She finally realized she was _starving_. Halfway through her first piece of toast, she noticed Kendall watching her eat, and she'd been eating like a pig. She swallowed her mouthful of food and said, "Sorry, I usually don't eat like this-"

Kendall cut her off with a kiss. "No sweat. I live with three _guys_. Not that that means anything." He paused to grab the hand she wasn't using to eat. "But I like it when a girl's got a real appetite- one that would make any guy jealous."

Sam beamed at him again, blushing lightly. She leaned in to give him a kiss.

"Aww, that's so cute. Get a room!"

They pulled apart, looking back toward the kitchen. "James," Kendall began. "Don't be hatin' just because you're the pretty boy and don't have a girl as awesome as this." He nodded his head to Sam. James just shrugged it off jokingly.

After Sam finished eating, Kendall offered to take her home again before he and the guys needed to go in to the studio. She grabbed her stuff, said some quick goodbyes to the other boys, and they both made their way out to the car again. This time, though, it was a clear, sunny day; no compromising weather was in sight.

Kendall made his way down the driveway; it was quiet in the car. Sam just couldn't believe she hadn't dreamt last night happening. She and Kendall had _kissed_. Does that mean he liked her?

As if reading her thoughts, the blonde broke the silence. "So, do you wanna get dinner tonight, or something?"

"Like a d-date?" Sam stuttered.

Kendall's cheeks tinged red slightly. "Well, I guess you could call it that." He looked sideways at her, quickly putting his eyes back on the road. "But I want to get to know you more, too. I'm really curious about you." He glanced at her again, and his eyes twinkled mischievously.

Sam made a thinking face, pretending to put thought in his proposition. She already knew her answer. "Yeah, of course. In fact, you can pick the place. I'll pay." She had some money set aside for something like this.

"I don't want to argue, but we'll discuss the payment situation later." Kendall didn't like it when girls wanted to pay. He was very old-fashioned in that department. He was always willing to pay the whole bill. It was the gentleman thing to do.

Sam thought Kendall looked _so_ cute when he got defensive, but decided to agree with him. "'Kay, whatever." She smiled out the window, watching the shops whiz by in a blur. It was silent in the car for a while before she asked the boy beside her, "So, do you know any good places to eat around here?"

Kendall chewed his bottom lip in concentration. There were a ton of awesome restaurants, but many were _way_ too expensive for his taste. He tried thinking of one that was fun, but a bit more on the cheaper side.

Then it hit him.

Sam stared at him. She'd already noticed his face was easy to read, so when his face lit up, it was plain to see that he had a good idea. "Do you like stir fry?" he questioned suddenly.

Caught a little off guard, it took Sam a second to respond. "Oh, um…heck yeah!"

"Sweet," Kendall said. "Then I know the perfect place-" A vibration in his picket cut him off. He took his phone out and looked at the screen. It read, _Text Message- Kelly_.

_Oh jeez_, he thought. He handed Sam his phone and told her to read the message. Flipping the phone open, she began reading aloud: "_Guys, Gustavo wants you back here today. You'll be doing some recording, harmonies, and choreography. Be here at noon. –Kelly_" Sam felt her heart sink. _So much for that date_.

Kendall turned to Sam in his seat. They had arrived at the Palm Woods' parking lot, so he had turned the car off. He chuckled softly. "Well, you know how it is. Things like this happen." He smiled lightly to help cheer Sam up. She still looked a little down. He reached across and took her hand. "Look, I'm really sorry. I'll call you after rehearsal. I promise." He leaned over and gently kissed her cheek, earning a small smile from her.

She turned to him and brought his head back to hers, their lips meeting forcefully but passionately. Kendall slowly closed his eyes, relishing in the sudden moment. Their lips moved together in sync, going slow, not really in a rush. Neither wanted to break the kiss; each was too busy drowning in the other's taste.

Kendall ran his tongue along Sam's bottom lip, asking for entrance. Sam let out a soft moan, sending Kendall's heart a-flutter, and obliged, allowing Kendall's velvety tongue to dance with hers. Sam noted that he tasted like chocolate covered strawberries, with just a hint of lemon. _Sweet, but with a little kick_.

But those were pretty much the only thoughts that passed through her mind because Kendall's kissing shorted out her ability to process anything but his soft lips connected to hers.

They continued to make-out for a couple more minutes before finally coming up for air. Both of them had tangled hair and ruby-red kiss-swollen lips. After looking each other over, they each gave an embarrassed laugh, light pink blushes creeping across their cheeks.

"Well, I guess I should…uh, head up," Sam said reluctantly, still smiling at the blonde.

"Okay," he smiled back just as widely. He reached down and took her hand, rubbing his thumb across the back of it. "I'll call you later," he repeated. He gave her a chaste kiss, and she opened her door.

As Sam exited the car, she felt Kendall squeeze her hand, but his hand dropped from hers as smoothly as silk as she stepped onto the asphalt. They both stared at each other longingly, but Sam finally broke the silence. "I guess I'll talk to you later, then?"

"Yeah," Kendall said sweetly. "Wait for me?"

Sam's heart almost beat out of her chest at his words, but replied back as calmly as she could muster. "Um, yeah…" she smiled, embarrassed.

Kendall beamed at her and winked (causing Sam to blush deep crimson). She slammed the door shut, and Kendall saw her lips form the words '_You suck_' even though she was failing at not smiling.

Kendall chuckled to himself and put the car in reverse. Right before he pealed out of the parking lot, he and Sam waved at each other, and then she disappeared inside.

As he drove down the boulevard, his train of thought strayed to her again. He admitted silently that he was _really_ starting to like her. A lot.

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He pulled into a space at Rocque Records, having no recollection of actually arriving there. He walked inside and up the Gustavo's studio. They were going to practice their dance routines today, so they would be in the rehearsal studio down the hall. He turned the knob once he reached the right door and slid inside. James, Carlos, and Logan were already there, along with Mr. X.

James cocked an eyebrow at Kendall, wondering why he had such a huge grin plastered on his face. The latecomer waved his hand back to James, who instantly knew the gesture meant '_We'll talk later_'.

Nothing ruined Kendall's mood that day. Not Carlos when he accidentally knocked Kendall into the wall; not the hour they spent doing the same three-second dance move over and over; not even Gustavo constantly yelling insults and calling them 'dogs' could bring him down. It was Kendall's best rehearsal ever. He nailed all of his moves on the first shot, and thought it was just 'extra practice' when they repeated dances for a half-hour at a time. He hit all his notes when they ran through a few songs- even James was in awe when Kendall reached a higher note than he did.

Kendall's high lasted all of rehearsal- all ten hours of it- and into the night. Back in the mansion, he laid on his bed staring at his ceiling. His lights were off, but the moonlight streaming in through the window gave his room a peaceful glow and allowed him to trace patterns on the ceiling with his eyes.

The quiet was broken when his door opened suddenly. Lifting his head up from his pillow, he watched James walked across the room and sit at the foot of his bed. "So…what happened?" he asked.

Kendall turned on his lamp and flopped his head back onto his pillow contentedly. He put his hands behind his head proudly. "I've got a date with Sam next week." (He had called her right after rehearsal to schedule it, even though he was dead tired.) He smirked at the shocked expression on his buddy's face.

"How is it that you keep getting girlfriends before me?" James questioned, his voice about an octave higher, even in a whisper.

"Don't hate the player; hate the game," Kendall joked. "Besides, you're the pretty boy! You get all the girls anyway. Remember the first school dance?"

As a matter-of-fact, James _did_ remember that day. Vividly. He had inadvertently asked about six girls to the dance during the day, leading up to a tense moment where they all confronted him at the dance. He had run out screaming; the girls had chased him out of Rocque Records.

"Exactly!" Kendall interrupted, seeing the 'flashback face' James had on. James snapped out of it. Kendall sat up on his bed. "Now it's my turn with a pretty girl." He gave James a sympathetic pat on the arm. "Don't worry, man. You'll get another girl."

The tallest band member looked at the blonde in disagreement. "You're right. Sam's not really my type anyway. But who wouldn't want _this_." He held his hands up and wiggled his fingers up and down in front of his face.

Kendall chuckled. "Good_night_," he said as he playfully shoved James toward the door. Once he saw it close, Kendall leaned back and turned off his light again. He snuggled his face into his pillow as he reflected on the past few days: the party, meeting Sam, the hockey game, the…kiss.

His thoughts lingered on _that_ the longest. They may have had their first kiss the night before, but the make-out session from this morning was still fresh in his mind; her taste was still tingling in Kendall's mouth. He thought she tasted like fresh lemonade, crisp Minnesota winter air, and…he knew this may have sounded weird, but she tasted like…the _essence_ of music (whatever _that_ was supposed to taste like). His thoughts jumbled when he kissed her, and it made him want her even more.

Being antsy wouldn't make the next day come any sooner, so he shut his eyelids and immediately fell into sleep, thrilled about the coming days.

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**So the next chapter will be the date. Not sure when I can get it posted, but now that I have my own laptop, I can type it up wherever I go!**

**R & R please! Reviews are like getting extra candy in my stocking. Or they make me feel like Buddy the Elf. ;D**

**Virtual cookies and candy canes to anyone who reviews! Happy Holidays! C:**

**PS: Who here has actually seen the movie "Elf"?**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8- Hello Fascination

**Okay, first off, I would once again like to apologize for the long-ish wait. I have my excuses, but I'm too lazy to share it with you all because it's 12:06 in the morning (as I'm typing up my last minute A/N's). Xd**

**This chapter is dedicated to my newest, most loyal reviewer sufergal23! She's been so kind to me, and she also has an AMAZING Kendall/OC story that ALL OF YOU should check out (after you read this, of course) C:. It's called 'Hooked'. And trust me when I say you will be 'hooked' on it. Haha, see what I did there? You know how- eh, nevermind. That was a lame attempt at an early morning joke. **

**So without further ado, here is the date! :)**

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"_You're building me up just to break me down_," Kendall sang along to the radio.

"_You're being loud without a sound_," Sam chorused back.

The two teens laughed at how ridiculous they sounded. Blasting Kendall's car stereo with the windows rolled down as they sped down the highway had definitely brought out their inner goofball. They were both great singers, but let them loose, and they didn't care how they sounded.

A heavy guitar riff came on so both Sam and Kendall immediately went to air guitar mode- the blonde could only use one hand to 'play' because he kept his left hand on the wheel. This continued until the end of the song, one last chord strike before the teens slumped back in their seats.

"That was Breathe Carolina with _Hello Fascination_," came Ryan Seacrest's voice over the radio. "Up next we've got-" Sam moved to turn the volume down.

"What _I_ still can't believe," she started. "Is that you actually know who these guys are!"

Kendall looked over at her quickly, a wide grin on his face, before turning back to the road. "Well, yeah. I mean, we hung out with them a while back and went to their concert afterwards. They're cool guys- pretty talented."

The brunette girl smiled back. "But seriously, how do we like all the same bands? Most of them aren't even main stream! Breathe Carolina, Mayday Parade, the Perfect Victim…" she trailed off, trying to emphasize how many there were out there that they liked.

"Lucky, I guess." Kendall smiled crookedly at her. Sam's stomach fluttered as she tried to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks; Kendall smirked inwardly, pretending to not see the cute rose color on Sam's face. He knew his crooked smile could make any girl melt, but it was fact- not his ego- talking.

They sat in silence for a while longer, the radio creating a comfortable atmosphere, when Sam finally asked, "Where are you taking me?"

The boy next to her smirked again. "That, Sam, is still a secret." He quickly glanced at the dashboard clock. "We've still got about a fifteen minute drive until we get there." He looked over at her apologetically. "Sorry it's such a long drive. But this place is totally worth it!"

Sam shrugged it off. "Nah, it's alright. I sort of like these kinds of surprises anyway." Sighing contentedly, she brought her gaze back to the window. The sun was still pretty high in the sky above the horizon, and everything was flying past the car at seventy miles an hour.

She must have zoned out because the next thing she heard was Kendall saying, "Okay, we're here."

Coming out of her trance, she opened her car door and registered where they were. Her eyes hit a confusing sight. "Hermosa Beach?" she read on a sign near them. "You drove us a half-hour to take me to dinner on the…" she stopped talking as she noticed the parking lot they were standing in was surrounded by other shops. "Oh," she breathed dumbly. She'd only seen the beach and jumped to conclusions.

Kendall looked over the top of the car at Sam and smirked. _She's so cute when she does that_, he thought. "As appealing as that idea is, we just have a short walk to our destination." He walked around to her side of the car. "Shall we?" he asked, holding his hand out to her in an old-fashioned gesture.

"Oh, yes. We shall," Sam agreed with a 'royal Englishwoman' voice, delicately placing her hand in his. They began walking alongside the buildings, smiles plain on their faces and their fingers intertwined. They made small talk along the way, and soon enough Kendall stopped in front of a tan building with a colorful sign. Sam backtracked (for she had kept walking when he had halted) and looked up at the sign above the door.

"'Hibachi'?" Sam questioned.

"Well," the blonde teen began timidly. "I remember you saying something about how you like this kind of food, so I thought it'd be fun." He scratched the back of his neck nervously. _He's so cute when he does that_, Sam mused. Kendall continued. "I mean, unless you'd rather go somewhere else-" But Sam silenced him, putting one of her fingers to his lips.

"Kendall!" She gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "This is perfect. But, wait! How'd you remember I like Japanese food? I only mentioned it, like, once."

Kendall's cheeks heated slightly. "I guess I'm a better listener than I let on."

Sam grinned up at him, giggled lightly and tugged him through the door. "Whoa!" she exclaimed as she took in the restaurant.

In the dim lighting, about a dozen little islands stood in the space, spread out evenly but in a seemingly random pattern. All of the 'islands' had a chef, each one expertly flipping and chopping their customers' food. The smell of sizzling meat and veggies wafted into Sam's nose, resulting in a small moan escaping her lips. Kendall grinned at the sound and took her hand and led her to an empty grill.

Their grill master smiled at them politely. "Welcome to Hibachi Teriyaki!" he greeted.

Still smiling widely while looking around, Sam replied, "Thank you!"

"First time here?" the chef asked, seeing the brunette's face.

"Umm…_yeah_." She was still in awe.

The chef smiled again at her. "Well, welcome! And you, sir?" he gestured to Kendall.

"No, actually," he started. "I've been here with my buds a few times. I love it here!"

"Well, welcome back, and thank you!" He began sharpening his utensils and made a motion to someone behind the two teens. Seconds later a waitress with long dark hair came up to take their drink order.

"Sprite," said Kendall.

"Sprite," Sam said at the same time.

As they stared at each other surprised, their waitress chuckled at the young couple lightheartedly and left to fill their order.

After a brief silence, Kendall broke it. "Well, that's kind of awkward." He itched the back of his neck again- a bad habit he'd picked up from Logan.

"Yeah, that _is_ a bit weird," Sam agreed, feeling just as nervous as Kendall. "But at least we can agree on sodas! And we have great taste, too."

They looked through the menu in front of them in peace while waiting for their drinks, a slight nervous tension between them. But every once in a while they shot small smiles back and forth, still glad for each other's company.

Their waitress came back with their beverages, saving them from the quiet. Soon after, the two teens walked across the small restaurant to a buffet-style area where they picked up all their raw ingredients: chicken, beef, fish, various vegetables and sauces. Making their way back to their grill, they handed their food to the chef once they got there and sat back and watched him prepare each meal in turn.

It was quite entertaining watching the man flip their food in odd, dramatic fashions. At times, he actually invited them up to the grill to try it for themselves. After some practice and several failed attempts, Sam and Kendall finally got the hang of it. They both felt like idiots (they _had _looked ridiculous at the grill), but they had a fantastic time.

A half-hour later, they paid the bill and left their mini-party. "Thanks, Yamasaki!" they called to their chef. He bowed and smiled at them one last time as the two left the restaurant.

Bellies full, they exited hand-in-hand. The twilight air was clean and crisp; they had their light jackets on due to the slight chill of the ocean breeze.

But instead of heading toward the car, Kendall led Sam in the opposite direction, toward the pier. Sam didn't object. He led them down a set of short stairs, and they landed on the sand with a soft, muffled _squish_.

Sitting down briefly, the teenagers coaxed their shoes and socks off. Standing up again, the cool sand felt wonderful on their bare feet. They clasped hands again, holding their shoes in the other.

There was silence between them, but they were just reveling in the happy quiet. The water lapping at their feet tickled lightly, but was relaxing all the same. The sun was slowly setting in the distance, casting a reddish-purple glow on Sam's and Kendall's faces. Each silently agreed to themselves that the person standing next to them was truly beautiful.

Then, almost as if their minds were connected, the teens plopped down on the white sand together. They glanced at each other and chuckled quietly, still holding hands.

A comfortable hush came over them once more; the only sounds were the gentle waves crashing just out of reach of their feet and the faraway screeching of the seagulls above them. It was peaceful, and nothing else in the world mattered at that moment.

Sam leaned into Kendall's shoulder, settling her head into the crook of his neck. She heard his clothes ruffle as he brought his arms around her in a warm embrace. Everything was right; they fit together like spaghetti and meatballs.

Sam closed her eyes contentedly. She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness when Kendall spoke. "Sam?"

She looked up at him. The setting sun cast a soft orange glow on his face, his green eyes standing out and sparkling happily. "Yeah, Kendall?"

Suddenly the fearless leader looked nervous. He dropped his gaze to his lap and began squirming slightly. But he didn't understand why he was so hesitant and jittery all of a sudden. He took a shaky breath and began. "I- I know it's only our first real date, b-but…" He took a deep breath, gaining his confidence back. "I like you a lot, and I wanted to ask you if you would be my girlfriend."

Sam was stunned. She sat up straighter, still at a loss for words. When she finally found her voice, she said, with extreme delight, "Kendall- of _course_ I'll be your girlfriend!" She threw her arms around him, but he tipped backwards into the sand. They burst out in laughter, but stopped instantaneously when they locked eyes, bottle green meeting cocoa brown. Slowly, they both leaned in, Sam still lying partly on Kendall. The brushed lips ever so slightly; Kendall took the initiative and inclined his head up to connect their lips.

The kiss was sweet, innocent. They moved their lips gently, not needing to take it any farther. It was perfect.

Kendall wrapped his lean, muscular arms around Sam's waist and, still keeping their lips together, lifted her off of his midsection and brought her next to him. Now they were both lying on their sides in the soft sand.

The green-eyed boy reached up with one hand and rubbed his new girlfriend's cheek delicately with his thumb. They pulled apart slowly, wanting to stay that way forever, but ended up staring into each other's beautiful orbs again.

Both of their hearts skipped a beat when they said at the same time, "You're so beautiful." The moment was totally cheesy. They both blushed crimson, but smiled through it.

"I mean it, though," Kendall said genuinely.

Sam grinned widely. "I know. Me, too."

They laid there for what seemed like an eternity before finally getting up, gathering their discarded possessions and heading back up to the board walk in the darkness that had come since sundown. They clasped their hands back together, basking in the warmth that radiated from their bodies at the now-meaningful contact.

At the car, Kendall opened the door for his lady and waited for her to hop in before shutting it and walking over to the driver's side. Once inside, he started up the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, making is way to the highway.

Driving down the endless asphalt, Kendall realized that hypochondriac-Logan would have a fit if he knew he wasn't keeping both hands on the steering wheel. He laughed to himself and took a glance at his and Sam's entangled fingers near the gearshift. He squeezed her hand gently. She turned her head to him and smiled like she had no cares in the world except that moment.

They were silent for the entire ride home, but the pair didn't want to talk. They were content with the quiet. They each needed some time to themselves mentally.

Kendall pulled up the Palm Woods. It was darker outside now than it had been at the beach, and both teens were drowsy. Kendall got out and went around to Sam's door. He had to half-carry her out of the car. He brought her inside; the lobby was deserted and Sam was steadily slumping down as she rested on Kendall's side. In the elevator, Kendall decided to just carry her the rest of the way to her apartment. Picking her up gingerly bridal-style, he waited for the doors to open. Once they did, he made his way down the familiar hallway, past his former home, 2J, and stopped outside his girlfriend's apartment.

Realizing that he didn't have her key, he went to set her down for a moment when he heard talking and noises from an action movie behind the door. He knocked on the door instead, Sam still in his arms, and thankfully, Sam's mother answered the door, clad in her pajamas.

Seeing her alarmed look directed at her daughter, Kendall explained. "Don't worry, Mrs. Wayland! She fell asleep on the way back, so I just wanted to make sure she got home safely." He saw the instant relief in Mary's eyes; she gestured him inside and led him to Sam's bedroom. She left the teen to walk back out to the living room, giving Kendall some private time with her sleeping child.

Kendall set Sam down on her bed as gently as he possibly could. She rolled out of his arms minutely, but he caught her before she could roll onto her stomach; her head lolled to the side lazily. He gingerly took off her shoes and tenderly pulled the deep blue and multicolored blankets over her slumbering form. Looking down at her, Kendall noticed how flawless and peaceful she looked when she slept. Her hair was splayed out on her pillow like a halo; her features were softened by drowsiness; her chest slowly rose and fell beneath the comforter. He grinned to himself and leaned down to plant a gentle, loving kiss to Sam's forehead. "Goodnight, Sam," he whispered softly. He exited her room, shut the door silently, and crept out of the apartment, saying a polite 'Goodbye' to Sam's parents.

Sam fell asleep that night with a small smile plastered on her face.

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**Okay, so with the restaurant thing, I was going off of Logan Henderson's hibachi video. And the place I mentioned here is actually a real place that looks SO COOL! I wanna go really bad...except for the fact that I live all the way across the country. T.T**

**I'm exhausted, so I'm trying to make this as short as possible.**

**R & R please! They mean the world to me. How 'bout we try to get four reviews on this one? Then I will make it my mission to type up the next chapter even though I don't have all of it written yet. But I know that it's going to get really interesting from here. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**So, hey everyone I'm back. Thank you SOOO much for all the reviews for the last chapter! I love all my reviewers, especially my regulars- you know who you are. ;D**

**I had a snow day today (who in the midwest didn't?) so I decided to get my butt in gear and post this. But the fact that I'm also sick does not really make my brain work at its fullest potential, so sorry in advance if I have any errors in this chapter.**

**Good thing I was stuck inside all day. -_-**

**Anyways.**

**There's a time jump from the last chapter to this one. I wanted the Sam/Kendall relationship to grow gradually, but I was too lazy to write about all the **_**little**_** things leading up to this part. So, hopefully you'll understand that it's been a long, slow process for the both of them. They want to enjoy all their time together. :)**

**There's a new character introduced in this chapter; my best friend, who is IN LOVE with a certain Big Time Rush boy, practically threatened to kill me if I didn't write her in this story. Okay, she didn't threaten to KILL me, but she did beg me to put her in. And now I finally am! Hopefully you like her like I love her. C:**

**Oh, and I also realized that I never gave Mama Knight a first name. –sigh- Stupid me. Xd But now she has one. :) **

**Now, **_**onward**_** to chapter nine! (Did anyone else besides me say that in a British accent? …No? Okay.)**

**Anyway…**

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_Two months later_

"_Young Hollywood's hottest couple, Kendall Knight and Sam Wayland, was spotted taking a stroll to Jamba Juice yesterday afternoon. After a long day's work, it's known to be the favorite hangout of the two along with the other three members of Kendall's group Big Time Rush…_"

Sam awoke to the sound of the living room television. The one day she wasn't heading to the studio this week, and she was now forced to endure the task of getting up earlier than she wanted.

"Mom!" she called out groggily. "Can you turn that crap _off_, please?" Not that her life with her other half wasn't _amazing_, but she was sick of constantly hearing and seeing the tabloids about herself. Although, that should've come as no surprise since she and one of the most _gorgeous_ and popular teenagers in Hollywood had gotten together.

Getting no answer and no TV volume reduction, Sam begrudgingly rolled over under her sheets to face her dormant alarm clock. The LED display read _11:04 a.m._

_Oh…_ she thought, surprised. _I think it's a pretty good time to get up_. She stumbled out of her comfy bed and padded into the living room, rubbing the crust out of her sleep-laden eyes.

When she looked around, however, her mother was nowhere in sight, even though the TV was on and the front door was wide open. Sam could hear a shuffling sound come from outside in the hallway. "Mom?" she asked hesitantly. She cautiously began walking out of her apartment to see where all the ruckus was coming from.

The next door to her left was wide open, several people scurrying in and out of it. Curious as to who was moving in (she never remembered anyone ever being in that apartment since she'd come here), she walked forward to greet the newbies.

And who should appear coming out of the doorway but her mother, chatting it up with the people inside. Oh it's absolutely no problem, Cheryl. It's my pleasure- just a way to say 'welcome to the neighborhood', if you will. It was very nice to meet you." Sam saw her mother's warm smile light up the immediate area.

"Well, it was nice to meet you as well," came a woman's voice. "I'm extremely gracious of your gesture. The fruit bowl looks delicious; thank you."

"You're most certainly welcome," Mary replied back happily. "If you'll please excuse me, I have to run to the office really quick. I'll come back later to check- oh, Sam! There you are, sleepy head!" She had turned to leave and spotter her pajama-clad daughter. "Come over here and meet our new neighbor," she said, gesturing to the woman in the doorway.

Sam strolled over and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Sam," she greeted and shook the woman's outstretched hand.

"Cheryl," she smiled.

"Honey," Sam's mother continued. "This is Ms. Pierce. She's here with her daughter."

"Yes, she's wandering around here somewhere," Ms. Pierce laughed affectionately.

"Alright," Sam chuckled lightly. "Well, I've gotta go mom. Mama Knight invited me and the boys to have breakfast in 2J today and I'm meeting them downstairs when they get here. I'll call you in a while," she said, already walking down the hallway to the elevator.

"Okay, sweetheart. I'm off to work," Mary called after her.

"'Kay, mom. Nice to meet you, Ms. Pierce!" she waved back.

Sam pushed the 'down' arrow and waited. It was taking a little longer than it usually did. Just as she was about to open the stairway door, a girl carrying too many boxes wobbled out of the elevator. Sam scrambled to assist the girl. "Here, let me help you with that."

"Oh, thank you!" the girl sighed in relief. She practically threw some of her boxes to the floor.

Sam picked up several boxes and finally got a look at the teen who'd been hidden behind the mound of cardboard.

She was about the same height as Sam, with fair skin that was a stark contrast from her long, jet-black hair. But her most prominent feature was her wide, deep, bright sky blue eyes that smiled, even through her apparent exhaustion.

As they began their trek, Sam inquired, "Are you the one moving in? The Pierces?"

"Yeah, I am," the girl grinned. "I'm Olivia."

"Nice to meet you, Olivia; I'm Sam," she nodded at Olivia, not able to shake hands.

They were silent again as they came up to the door of 2N. Sam stopped to allow Olivia to lead her to where the boxes would be going. They made their way deeper into the apartment until Sam turned into a room that had a bare bed and numerous stacked boxes. "You can just set them down anywhere," Olivia said.

Sam found a clear space near the side of the bed and gently set her pile of cardboard down.

"Thanks so much for your help, by the way," she continued. "That was my last trip for my stuff, and, silly me, I thought I could make it will all those boxes."

Sam just waved her off. "It's really no big deal. I'm happy to help my new neighbor." She flashed a friendly smile.

Olivia flopped down on her bed, grateful that the talk of _getting_ her stuff up here was done. "I'm _exhausted_!" she groaned into her pillow.

Suddenly, Sam got an idea. "Hey, Olivia," she began. "Why don't you take a break from all this and come have breakfast with me?"

The blue-eyed girl lifted her head. "Are you sure? I mean, I don't mean to impose…"

"Nonsense! It's just a homemade meal with my friends. You'll _love_ them!"

"Oh, o-okay. Um, where at?" Olivia asked uncertainly.

Seeing the uneasy look, Sam quickly reassured her new friend. "Oh, don't worry; they're right down the hall. Well, _they_ don't live there, but their mom and little sister do. I was going to meet them downstairs, but they'll be fine without my escort." She laughed at her own joke, Olivia giving a small chuckle as well.

The new girl's face softened. "Okay…Sure, I'd love to come. I am _totally_ done with this crap for now. And I'm always up for meeting new people." She smiled at the prospect.

"Great!" Sam beamed. She grabbed Olivia's wrist and began walking through the apartment with her. "You'll love these guys!"

Still being half-dragged, Olivia said, "Alright. Let me just let my mom know real quick. Mom!"

Her mother was in the kitchen putting the silverware away. "Yes, dear?" she replied.

"Is it okay if I go have breakfast with Sam? We're going to her friends' mom's apartment down the hall," Olivia explained.

"Sure, honey," Cheryl answered. "Just be sure to let me know if you'll be going anywhere else. And don't forget we have a _lot_ of unpacking to do."

Olivia rolled her eyes playfully. "No prob, mom. I've got my phone. Love you!" she said as she pulled Sam out the door.

There was a quiet call of "Love you, too!" back as the girls made their way down the hall. They didn't have any time to talk because seconds later they were standing at the door labeled '2J'.

Sam knocked several times and let herself in, motioning for Olivia to follow. Looking around, the brunette spotted Mrs. Knight in the kitchen, smells of home cooking wafting throughout the whole apartment. "Hey, Mama K!"

Krystal Knight looked up from the stove with a large friendly smile. "Oh, hey Sammy. Who's this?" she asked, nodding to the new girl.

"Oh, sorry. Mama K, this is Olivia Pierce. She's my new neighbor," Sam explained. "I invited her to have breakfast with us. You wouldn't mind setting one extra plate, would you?"

Krystal gave another motherly smile. "Of course not, sweetheart. There'll be plenty of food to go around. Even with those boys," she rolled her emerald eyes affectionately, as did Sam. "Speaking of which, Kendall called about two minutes ago, so they should be here anytime."

Sam's eyes went a little bit wider. "Oh crap! I'm supposed to meet them downstairs!" She paused. "Eh, oh well. They'll survive without me," she said with a nonchalant shrug. "Anyway, c'mon, Liv, let's go sit down for a while." The two girls padded over to the bright orange couch.

The sound of someone coming down the swirly slide made the girls turn around in their seats. A skinny pre-teen flew out the end and announced, "Mmm, I smell pancakes!"

Sam smiled at seeing her little 'sister'. "Hey, kiddo," she greeted Katie.

"Hey, Sam," Katie smiled. "Who's the girl?"

Sam turned to her companion. "Please excuse her bluntness. Katie, _this_," she gestured a hand to the girl next to her. "Is Olivia; she's my new neighbor. She's having breakfast with us."

"Oh, it's nice to meet you," Katie said to the black-haired teen.

Olivia just smiled up at her in a friendly manner, her stomach suddenly grumbling loudly. Everyone in the apartment chuckled at the small roar.

"Somebody's hungry," Krystal commented. "Don't worry, girls. It'll only be a couple more minutes."

Katie groaned in appreciation. "Thank God! I'm _starving_! The boys better get here soon!"

And no sooner had she finished her statement, the front door of 2J opened impatiently, and Kendall, James, Logan, and Carlos stumbled in, noses in the air to the delicious smell.

And because Carlos is Carlos, he was sitting at the dining room table, fork and knife ready in his hands, before anyone could blink. He had that cutely innocent 'puppy dog' face that said _Breakfast, please?_ Sam and Olivia chuckled at the expression, getting up to greet the guys.

Kendall strolled over to his girlfriend. "Hey, babe," he said, giving her a small peck on the lips; their smiles were radiant afterward.

Suddenly Sam heard a small gasp escape the girl behind her. Turning around, she asked, "What's wrong, Liv?"

Olivia's sapphire eyes were as wide as their breakfast plates in recognition. "N-nothing! You just didn't tell me you know _Big Time Rush_. I'm just kind of star-struck right now!" A light pink crawled up her face as she rambled.

Sam instantly felt bad. "Oh, gosh, I'm _so_ sorry for not telling you! It must have slipped my mind. But anyway, this is my boyfriend Kendall Knight," she gestured to him. "Carlos Garcia," she motioned to the caramel-skinned boy at the table. "Logan Mitchell, and-"

"I'll introduce myself, Sam," James interrupted in his "ladies' man" voice. "Hi, I'm James Diamond. And you are…?" He held out one of his hands.

"Olivia," she said politely, catching on to his 'manwhore'-ness. She shook his hand anyway.

Logan cut in. "James! No pick-up lines before _breakfast_. Please? She's new."

He sighed in mock defeat. "Alright, fine."

"Children!" Mrs. Knight teased from the kitchen. "Breakfast's ready."

"Excuse me, but we are _men_ now , Mama Knight!" Logan squeaked out in annoyance. Kendall and James nodded in agreement while Carlos just bounced anxiously in his seat, ruining their argument.

Soon enough, they were all seated and Krystal had laid out the bountiful food across the table. It was a little more crowded than normal, but no one seemed to mind. Sam filled her plate and looked around the table. On her left was Kendall, already digging into his hefty helping of eggs, toast, bacon, and pancakes. Smirking at his innocence she glanced over to her right, where Olivia and Mrs. Knight were trying to gather their food while the tornadoes across the table were scooping up everything. Logan, James, Carlos, and Katie were ravaging everything set out, their plates overflowing. Sam chuckled at the antics and resumed eating her food.

There was silence then, except the clinking of silverware on plates and munching jaws. There was no urge to talk, just to enjoy the company of friends and family. For only knowing these people for about an hour, Olivia felt right at home.

But some were thinking more than others. Sam glanced across the table with a grin at James, but her smile fell slightly when she saw he had his rare 'thinking face' on. He didn't seem worried, just puzzled, almost full of wonder.

Inside his head, however, myriad thoughts of the new girl floated around without aim. She had basically _rejected _him! No one rejected the fabulous James David Diamond. It was then that James decided that he had a new challenge: he would win her heart in one way or another.

But thinking further, he got a queasy feeling in his stomach. It was like when he usually saw a pretty girl, like the first time he'd seen Jo or Sam; this time, it was different. He felt kind of sick, and his heart fluttered each time he looked at Olivia. He didn't know what was going on, but he was going to find out.

For now, though, he was content to just flash his beautiful pearly whites at the quirky newcomer as he tried to sort through these new feelings.

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**So, there's my friend Livi! Did ya like her? She's awesome in real life! :D**

There's not really much else I can say because my sinuses are making my mind quite foggy. At least I have my voice today- I lost it completely yesterday. I was squeaking every time I tried to talk at school. It was _not_ fun. -dies-

But enough about my problems...read and review, please? Right now, reviews might be the only medicine that could cure my cold. I'm hacking up a lung as I type this, you see.

Until next time! :)


	10. Chapter 10

Untitled- Eminem (no relation to plot; the title just works out for a part of this. The full song is...oh my. Trippy and grungy at best. But I love it!)

**Yeah, I realized that I stopped putting a song before every chapter. I completely forgot about that. I'll probably put them at the beginning of the chapters I can come up with a song for (like this one). Sorry if anyone noticed, but if you didn't….never mind. :)**

**And, I have a snow day, so I'm updating! Yay!**

**But anyway, a lot of this chapter was written during a bout of bronchitis-induced insomnia. I talked to my wonderful friend XJendall_LoverX on Twitter during that time (seriously, go follow her if you have a twitter!) and she really inspired me since we are both Kendall freaks. X]**

**Oh, quick note- look up The Church Lady before you read this. She doesn't really have anything to do with this chapter, but a little bit of background is needed for a tiny part, so I don't want you all to be lost in case you don't know who she is. :)**

**This is the chapter where the drama starts, so hopefully it turns out like I want it to.**

**Enjoy!**

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_When I see your face_

_There's not a thing that I would change_

'_Cause girl you're amazing_

_Just the way you are_

Sam's phone was ringing, but that wasn't her usual ringtone- for _anyone_. She picked it up off the table and looked at the caller ID.

_Kendall_.

With an amused smile on her face, she answered, "Hello?"

"How do you like your new ringtone, babe?" Sam could practically _hear_ his smirk through the phone.

Playing along, she responded, "Oh, I _love_ it! But how _ever_ did you get a hold of my phone? Are you creeping on me, Mr. Knight?"

Kendall's musical chuckle rang out. "Nah, I'm not creepin'. I just swiped it while you weren't looking last night. It's _only_ for me. It says how I feel about you." He said the last part in a coy way.

Sam's heart leapt at his words. They had been going out for about two-and-a-half months, but she was still amazed at how sweet and affectionate Kendall always is. For having the immense responsibility of being the strong leader of his group (musically and otherwise), he really was a softy since that shell was cracked.

"Could you be _any_ cheesier?" she joked lightly, her frame shaking slightly with laughter.

"Oh, shut it. You know you like it," Kendall said back.

Sam sighed in mock defeat. "Oh…alright. You got me." She paused. "But your occasional corniness is part of the reason I like you so much."

_Jeez, when did this turn into such a love-fest?_ They both thought.

"Anyway," she continued, blushing slightly. "What did you need, Ken?"

"Well, I just wanted to see if you were going into the studio today. I wanted to pick you up if you were."

Sam was not really expecting that. "Aww, Kendall! I don't want you to go out of your way just for me-"

"Nonsense!" Kendall cut in. "Seriously, Sam. I got past the Palm Woods every day on my way to work. It's no big deal. Plus, it'd give us more time together…" he trailed off.

The brunette couldn't help but cave. "Fine! Yes, I _am_ going in today. You're lucky you're too cute to resist."

"Aww shucks," the blonde replied, feigning innocence. "So I'll pick you up in an hour?"

"Yep," Sam smiled. "It's a good thing both of our producers run on similar schedules."

Kendall grinned on his end of the phone. "Yeah, that _is_ good, I guess. I'll call you when I'm on my way, okay babe?"

"Sure, Kenny," Sam said smoothly.

"Careful, _Sammie_," Kendall warned in the same tone.

"You're a dork, you know that?"

"Maybe," he retorted. "But I'm _your_ dork."

Sam sighed jokingly once more. "Fine. Go get ready. I'll see you in a bit."

They said their goodbyes quickly and went about preparing themselves for the day.

An hour later, Sam was ready, guitar case in hand. Her producer had called and told her they would be having writing sessions over the next couple days.

She wrote a quick note to her parents, both of whom were at work already, saying she'd probably be home after they got back. Taking one last look at the apartment, she walked out the door, shutting it behind her, and made her way downstairs.

As Sam exited the elevator into the lobby, she spotted Jo waving at her with a pleasant smile on her face. The brunette reciprocated the gesture and strolled over to meet her. "Hey, girl. What's up?" the blonde greeted her.

Sam grinned. "Not much. I have to head over to the studio. Kendall's coming to pick me up. How 'bout you?"

Jo sighed tiredly. "I had a late night at the set yesterday, and now they want me there _again_!" New Town High had ended up being a flop, so Jo was on a new series about four best girl friends who break out in the acting industry. The hours were almost as bad as her previous show's had been.

Sam frowned and pulled Jo in a sideways hug. "Aww, I'm sorry. Maybe if we've both got time tonight, we could hang at my place and watch a movie with Livi. She's got the day off…lucky girl." Her features turned to mock-disgust at her new best friend's good fortune. Both girls chuckled lightheartedly and wandered over to the lobby couch, sitting down and chatting while they waited for their respective rides. (Jo's was her favorite coworker Melanie.)

Several minutes later a familiar face moseyed into the Palm Woods' lobby. He was wearing a gray vintage t-shirt that was just loose enough to hide the well-formed chest muscles. On his long, lean legs he wore a pair of black skinny pants with his favorite red high-tops. Completing the look was the gray beanie on his gorgeous head, his blonde bangs hanging down casually but not blocking his stunning emerald eyes.

Walking in, he immediately spotted Sam and Jo conversing on the couch. They each had a smile on their face and laughed occasionally. Kendall always got a weird feeling seeing his current girlfriend and ex-girlfriend together. He knew Jo held no hard feelings against him, and he was extremely happy she was super friendly to Sam as well. Nothing was wrong with the picture, but for a guy, that sort of situation is just _weird_.

He rolled his eyes playfully and made his way over to the two girls. He and Jo briefly made eye contact (Sam's back was to Kendall), so he held a finger to his lips as a sign to continue the conversation and not give him away. Jo played along and discretely watch the dirty-blonde teen sneak up on Sam. As soon as he flung his hands around her eyes, he disguised his voice and whispered, "Guess who?"

Jo could see Sam's brows furrow in confusion and then thought. "James?" she mused.

Kendall's face fell. After several seconds of silence, Sam- eyes still closed- blurted out, "Kendall, honey, I know it's you."

He took his hands off of her eyes. "You scared me there for a second."

Sam instantly looked guilty. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just playing around!" She stuck her bottom lip out and made her puppy-dog face at her boyfriend. She knew she was forgiven when he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Aww, get outta here, you love birds!" came Jo's playful tone from the chair in front of the two.

Looking up, they got the 'subtle' hint and began making their way out. Kendall grabbed Sam's guitar case, even though she send him a look that said she could do it herself; he was still a firm believer in chivalry.

The car ride was silent, but the couple held hands the entire way. Starr Records was about a block down from Rocque Records, so Kendall could always walk to meet his girlfriend after a long day.

Today he parked in his usual spot, got out and grabbed Sam's guitar case from the trunk. The brunette girl jumped out as well, immediately snatching her case away from him playfully and intertwining their fingers together. They walked in the opposite direction of Rocque Records and made their way down the deserted sidewalk. It was about ten-thirty in the morning, so no one was really out-and-about. The teens strolled at a leisurely pace, just basking in the early L.A. sun and enjoying each other's company.

Sneaking a glance at his girlfriend, Kendall smiled inwardly and broke the comfortable silence. "So…Sam," he began smoothly. "What are you going in for today?"

"Oh, just some jam sessions," she said. "My producer wants me to have a couple original songs on my first album."

Kendall smiled, surprised. "You write you own songs, too?"

The brunette blushed humbly. "I guess...You could say I _dabble_…"

He squeezed her hand gently and grinned at her warmly. "I think that's _awesome_, Sam. You'll have to show me one of your songs some time."

They stopped walking and saw they were in front of Starr Records. Sam looked up at her male companion. "Sure. Maybe if one of them works out."

"I don't doubt your skills," Kendall assured her, giving her a loving peck. "Call me when you get done, okay?"

Sam set her case down, wrapped her arms around his torso, and looked up at him. "Alright." The two teens shared another kiss, this one deeper and longer.

They eventually came up for air and rested their foreheads against one another's. After sharing a quick glance, they pulled apart, and Sam turned around to open the door. Both teens were too flustered to say anything, so she smiled wide and bit her lip as her face reddened slightly. She gave a small, shy wave and disappeared inside. Kendall began walking back to Rocque Records, an immovable grin plastered on his face.

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Sam had been in the studio for three-and-a-half hours. Checking the clock in the 'jam' room, she flopped back onto her bean bag chair. Her band and producers were all around her, their designated instruments in their laps. Papers were strewn everywhere: Sam had actually had a bout of inspiration and was loosely clutching at eight sheets of lyrics and chords. "Okay guys," she piped up. "I think I've got this one almost all the way figured out. Umm…just jump in if you want to add."

She counted off four beats to set the tempo and began strumming her guitar.

As she sang the melody, one band member joined in on a set of bongo drums, keeping the beat going strong. Another member added a layer with her acoustic guitar. It was a simple rough draft, but Sam's producer, Marvin Fletcher, whipped his head up as the song came together.

When Sam played the last chord, motioning for her band mates to stop as well, Marvin started a slow, amazed clap. He was practically speechless. "Sam…that was-"

"That was AMAZING!" her bassist Adam finished.

"Really?" Sam wondered. "Nah, it wasn't _that_ good!"

"Marvin shook his head in disbelief. "You're lucky I recorded everything in here today, missy. _That _song is going to be your first single!"

The teenager beamed. "What? No way!" She jumped up and hugged each of her band members tightly. "Marvin, are you serious?"

"As serious as ever, child. Now quick- get in the booth before this energy wears off!"

"But I don't even have the entire chorus figured out!" Sam countered.

"That's okay," Marvin encouraged. "Just improvise for now!"

Fifteen minutes later, they had a general demo of the song, which Sam had left untitled until she came up with the perfect chorus. Marvin, being so excited for his prodigy, gave her the rest of the day off to celebrate. He called her a 'little scamp' affectionately on her way out.

And that was why they got along so well.

Sam took her phone out of her pocket and dialed her favorite number, holding the device to her ear.

"_Hello?_" Kendall answered.

"Hey, Ken; it's me."

He hesitated. "_Who is this?_" he asked jokingly in his best Church Lady accent.

Sam rolled her eyes. "You're such a goob! You know who it is!"

The blonde chuckled. "_I know, babe. Anyway, what's up?_"

"Well, I'm out early, so I'm heading over to Rocque Records now."

Kendall smiled big, earning a playful eye roll from Logan, who was standing next to him. James and Carlos turned around and both made kissy faces at the love-struck teen. Kendall flipped them the bird. "Okay. Well, me and the _hockey-heads_ and I have a quick meeting with Gustavo about God-knows-what, so I don't know if we'll be done by the time you get up here." He made a face back at the boys telling them to cut out the joking.

"Okay, I'm at the front door, so I'll see you when I see you."

"I'll talk to you in a bit then, Sammy."

"Bye."

"Bye. Carlos! James! You're such-" The line went dead. Sam laughed at her friends' antics.

She made her way up to the floor that contained Rocque Records, passing various offices and posters. As she entered the studio, portraits of boy-bands' past smiled down at her in typical nineties fashion. She glanced around the lobby and was unsurprised to hear silence- that is, until she heard a collective, "WHAT?" resonate throughout the chic space. Startled, she moved quickly toward where she heard the cry come from. She stopped outside Gustavo's office door and put her ear to the black-painted wood.

The voices behind the door were slightly muffled, but she managed to make out what they were saying. "…Europe. I've already got it all planned out," Gustavo boomed. "Two months of nothing but music and screaming fan girls."

"So we're _actually_ going?" James sounded ecstatic and Sam could hear the smile splitting his face in half.

"Yes," Gustavo continued. "You all wanted it, and now it's here!"

"So when do we leave?" Carlos shouted.

There was a moment of silence, and then, "Next Sunday!" The fat producer replied excitedly.

The entire area fell into a hush. Sam wasn't sure if it was a happy quiet or not. _She_, on the other hand, gasped softly and the world seemed to stop. Backing up from the door in shock, she stumbled and fell onto her back, loudly. Righting herself, she looked up just in time to see the door open and six faces stare down at her in surprise.

She knew she shouldn't have been eavesdropping, but she was rooted to the spot. Sam gave them a deer-in-headlights gaze and could only squeak out a shaky, disbelieving, "W-what?"

Kendall looked at her sadly and detached himself from the group. He held out his hand for her, hauling her up when their hands clasped. "Sam," he began. "Let's take a walk. I need to tell you something."

"What else is there for me to know?" she shot back a little too bitterly as they stepped outside into the suddenly chilly air.

The blonde sighed deeply. "There's more to it than what you probably heard." He looked away guiltily, and Sam noticed he seemed like a little kid; she felt kind of bad for snapping. Kendall glanced back at her briefly. "I'm just sorry you had to find out this way."

* * *

**So, yeah...I'm not really sure about this chapter. It kind of got away from me, and then all of a sudden I see it was at 2500 words. Xd**

**It seems like a filler to me. What about you? Reviews are much needed because I'm losing sleep posting this. Reviews are like sleeping pills...? No. Not quite. Let's not go there yet. Oops! Did I say that out loud?**

**But anyway.**

**I don't want to sound like I'm desperate for reveiws, but if you have any suggestion, feel free to let me know! I need some more inspiration than what's just up in my head! I love hearing from you guys! :)**

**So...later. I'm going to sleep. Because I have..._school _in the morning. Blech. -dies-**

**Sorry for any errors. And see that little button at the bottom that says 'Review'? He's lonely. His name is Phillip, so please stop by and say hi to him! All those who do will get a special home-cooked meal from Chef Carlos! Who doesn't love that little cutie? C:**

**Oh, and on another note: who watched Big Time Beach Party? It's _my_ new fave! Anyone else? Thoughts? :)**


	11. Chapter 11

The End- Mayday Parade

**Wow! An actual update. It's only been what...a MONTH? -is dead-**

**Too many excuses to name, so I won't go into it. I apologize.**

**I'm not really happy about this chapter. First off, it's very short compared to how I usually write. Xd Second, it's major filler. It helped get rid of my writer's block, but it's not my favorite. Blah.**

**But, thank you to all my reviewers. I hope you all stuck around to see this next chapter.**

**Enjoy, if you must. **

**

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Kendall led them both to nearby Palm Woods' park. Since it was a beautiful day, they decided to sit under a nice, shady tree. Sam was still a little frustrated, so she dropped her hand from his, immediately missing his warmth.

The blond turned to his girlfriend solemnly. He sighed deeply, not exactly sure how to break the news to her. He settled for placing his hand gently on hers, and inwardly smiled when she didn't pull away again. "Sam," he started. "Please believe me when I say that this was just as much a surprised for us as it was for you."

"Really?" the girl responded.

"Yes, but…" He stopped.

Sam's heart jumped a bit. "But what?"

This was where it was going to get hard for Kendall. "Well," he began nervously. "Gustavo had told us a few months ago that there was a _possibility_ of us going on another tour, but it was highly unlikely back then." He took a deep breath. "We seriously had no idea that would happen. And, I mean, I knew about this _before_ I met you…but I'm not going to just up-and-leave you now because I'd feel awful. I don't want to be away from you for that long…" He just didn't really know how to or if he was saying the right things. He babbled when he was nervous.

Sam was sympathetic. He was sincere about being taken completely off-guard about a tour. "Well, maybe you could convince Gustavo to let me come? Camille and Stephanie and Jo and Livi could come too…"

"And I would love nothing more than for you girls to come with us! But unfortunately, that's Gustavo's decision."

"He loves you guys! I know you're his 'dogs', but he really cares about you. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Kendall still felt a little skeptical. "Okay, I'll try, babe." He whipped out his phone and dialed Gustavo's number. After two rings, his manager greeted him. Then Kendall said, "Hey Gustavo, I was wondering-"

"No girlfriends, dog!"

"But you don't even know what I was going to say!"

"Was it about you mutts bringing your dogettes along with us?"

"…Yes."

"I really am sorry about this, Kendall." Gustavo never really called them by their first names unless he was talking very seriously. "I want this tour to be really professional."

"Gustavo, please!" Kendall begged.

The producer's voice softened, but stayed firm. "That's final. I really do apologize. I told the other dogs the same thing, so don't think I'm being hard on only you. Can you get back to the studio? We have a lot to discuss before we leave next week."

The blond sighed in defeat. "Yeah, I'll be there in a few. Thanks anyway, Gustavo." He hung up sullenly and glanced back at Sam. She looked just as upset as he felt. "So, I'm guessing you heard all of that?" he ventured.

The brunette nodded at him, her face crestfallen. Just when they'd been getting more and more comfortable about their relationship, they had to practically be ripped apart. Kendall reached over and squeezed Sam's hand in both of his. He smiled sadly at her and said," We'll figure something out."

"But _what_, Kendall?" she asked, frustrated.

He thought for a moment. "Well, there's the phone, email, Scuttlebutter, web chats…Umm…" He looked up at her, and seeing her confused expression, he backtracked. "That wasn't what you meant, was it?"

Sam sighed heavily. "I get that there's plenty of ways to communicate now that you mentioned all those things. But I don't want to be away from you for so long. I'm just worried…" she trailed off.

Kendall's face softened at his girlfriend's sudden unsureness. "Worried about…?" he encouraged her.

"I'm just worried that you'll find someone else."

Her words made his heart sink. "How could you _ever_ think something like that? You're the only one I want to be with! Why would I go halfway around the world to find the 'girl of my dreams' when she's right here in front of me?"

Sam's cheeks reddened in embarrassment and shock. "Alright, Romeo. As long as you're willing to stay loyal and worth through this, well, so am i. I really like you, Kendallia."

The taller teen grinned at her choice of nickname. "I really like you too, Sammy. No, wait- I take that back. I _adore_ you."

Sam whipped her head up to face him. "R-really?" she asked in disbelief.

"Of course!" Kendall exclaimed like it was the most obvious thing on the planet. He brought her into a crushing but loving hug. "You're mine, and I don't want to find anybody else."

The girl in his arms beamed. "Aww, you're such a sweetheart!" She snuggled closer to his muscular chest, feeling his long, lean arms wrap around her tighter.

They sat in comfortable silence then, too absorbed in each other to register the outside world. Suddenly an idea struck the blond. "Tell you what- let's do something special this weekend."

Sam was slightly bewildered at his quick mood change. "Alright…" she agreed.

"So here's my plan," Kendall started. "We'll go out to that teen club with James, Logan, Carlos and all the girls on Friday- have some fun before we leave. Then on Saturday night…" he paused for dramatic effect. "It'll be just you and me," he whispered sweetly.

Sam's heart pounded against her ribcage at the idea. "No, Kendall. I don't want to put you through so much trouble right before a tour-"

"Nonsense!" he interrupted. "Do it for me. Please!" He gave her the Knight family puppy-dog eyes.

"But-"

"Ah ah ah."

"I-"

"Sam!"

"Ugh. Fine. But _only_ you." Their lips met for a minute, lingering just a bit for those few extra stolen seconds. "It does sound like it would be a good time. But I will miss you afterward."

"Let's not talk about that now, darling." He revealed his signature smirk when he noticed Sam blushing _hard_ at the pet-name. "For now, let's just focus on _right here_. And how I would freeze this moment forever."

Sam smacked his chest playfully. "You're such a sap!" she teased.

"But it's why you like me so much."

"True…"

After sharing a few more laughs, they lapsed into silence once again, relaxing in each other's presence. The only sound to punctuate their peaceful area was the occasional kiss shared between them- loving little butterfly kisses to the temple or nose every couple minutes.

A hush seemed to sweep over the city, as if Los Angeles knew of the coming heartache and pain that would soon face the two teens in love.

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**Blech. Mushy romance-fluff. I'm really too tired to even go "Aww!" at their cuteness. **

**This chapter did, however, set the stage for the upcoming angst in the story. It's gonna get pretty interesting... Blame Miss Fenway and OneManWritingGames. I love 'em, but their angst is what helps give me inspiration to write, and I say _again_, will end up killing me. Xd**

**On another note: I'm finally on Spring Break, and I have no homework! Yay! That means I could actually update very frequently if I get my lazy ass in gear and write some more. But I have a 12 hour car ride to DC on Saturday, so I'll probably get a bunch done...if I'm not too busy watching BTR Season 1 on DVD! I'm so excited, I finally got it! Yay me! C:**

**Oh, and did anyone else hear that "B.T.R." the album went GOLD? I could've cried. I'm so proud of them!**

**And who's gonna kick butt at the KCA's? BTR, that's who. I'm not even gonna be able to watch it, but I have my sources that are going to keep me updated. -sigh-**

**Anyway, this author's note is starting to get longer than the chapter- which would be really sad- so I'm going to shut up and go to bed.**

**Hope you enjoyed! R&R please! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

Oh Yeah- BTR

**Yeah, I lied about being able to write a lot. My sister got married over Spring Break, and the whole week was nothing but running around **_**everywhere**_** and having very little time to myself. Jeez, remind me to never take a 12-hour road trip with my mom, grandma, and younger cousin in the same car. I love them all to death of course, but my grandma (Nana) was all asdfghjklqertuio the WHOLE week. –is dead-**

**So the only reason I'm updating now is because I have no homework- for the first time in about three months. Meh. =/**

**I don't own anything, especially the club name. That belongs to Panic! At the Disco.**

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The next week passed by much too quickly for any of the teens' comfort. Kendall, James, Logan, and Carlos had all been working sixteen hour days to prepare for the first leg of their tour. Sam was back in the studio recording; her album was getting pretty close to being finished.

Friday, Sam found herself in Camille's apartment, both getting ready with Jo, Stephanie, and Olivia. The group was going to the local teen club Vices and Virtues, and they were certainly dressing for it. Camille wore a black sequined one-shoulder cocktail dress that clung to her frame slightly and her hair was up in a simple messy ponytail. Jo and Stephanie were wearing miniskirts- white and dark blue respectfully- with matching zebra-print tops. Sam was wearing a poufy black knee-length skirt with a silky red spaghetti-strap tank top and strappy heels. She was currently putting a fidgety Olivia's hair in a French braid. "But, Livi!" she whined. "It's gonna be _so _cute!"

"Well, will you stop pulling my _hair_ so tight?"

Sam chuckled. "Sorry, Liv. Almost done."

A minute later Olivia stood up and everyone examined her completed outfit: she shone in her dazzling short blue dress and black leggings; she had cold ballet flats on her feet and beautiful matching gold necklace across her throat. Stephanie wolf-whistled. "Ooh, dang girl! James is gonna _love _you tonight!"

The ravenette blushed at the prospect. "What? No! James doesn't like me like that!"

"Are you kidding me?" Jo interjected. "Seriously, he hasn't taken his eyes off you since he _met_ you."

Sensing the tension in the room, Camille broke the silence. "_Anyway_…let's get going, Sam. We've gotta go downstairs to catch the limo the guys sent for us."

They all cheered and grabbed their things before heading out the door.

In the limo, they immediately turned the music up, speakers thumping from the heavy bass of the song. The driver looked back at them in the rearview mirror and laughed playfully. He had picked them up several times before and loved all the kids to death. He also loved how crazy and fun they were; they were entertaining to say the least.

"Who's ready to rock this town?" Sam shouted over the noise.

"We are!" everyone yelled back in unison, even the driver, Simon. Sam looked at him up front, giving him a raised eyebrow. He merely glanced back and winked in a joking manner. The brunette rolled her eyes at his antics and turned back to her friends, waiting for their arrival at the club.

A few minutes later, Simon slowed the car down, and Sam saw the four boys waiting right outside her window. All the girls smiled brightly stepping out of the limo into the cool night air.

Everyone could hear the music thumping inside. James and Carlos were practically beside themselves in anticipation; Livi and Stephanie giggled out loud at the silly boys.

Kendall approached Sam and threw an arm around her shoulder, kissing her temple sweetly. "I'm so glad you guys came tonight," he told her.

"Of course," she replied. "You're going to be gone for a while, so the more time we spend with you all before you leave, the better."

Walking inside, Livi glanced over at James, who was talking animatedly to Stephanie and Carlos. There was no doubt that Livi found him extremely attractive, but did he really feel the same way, as the girls had teased earlier? As she thought it over, James turned away from his conversation and flashed Livi his million-dollar smile. Livi blushed a deep crimson, leaving James chuckling inwardly at how cute she looked when she did that. Wait, what?

Once inside, the teens quickly found themselves lost in the sea of people gently rocking back and forth to the beat of the latest Top 40 hit. Blinking lights all around created an electric feel, and overall, the club was glowing blue, but still felt somewhat melodic and rhythmic.

The group quickly sat in a booth and the four band mates told the girls to sit while they got drinks up at the bar. They came back soon enough with handfuls of glasses filled with various sodas and non-alcoholic beverages; they had all memorized everyone's drink orders. Once the drinks were distributed properly, the boys sat down together.

"Well, I must say, you boys do look _very_ good tonight," Jo commented noncommittally.

James chortled at her 'naïveté'. "Of course we do. We _are_ the Hollywood Super Party Kings of Hollywood, aren't we?"

Logan rolled his eyes from beside the pretty boy. "What he _really _means is that we wanted to have a lot of fun tonight, so why not look nice doing it?" the girls all laughed at the genius's paraphrasing.

Suddenly, a new song came on over the sound system, and the nine teens were antsy to get on the dance floor. They split up into a couple groups: Sam, Kendall, Logan and Camille; Carlos, Stephanie and Jo; and then Livi and James were left alone by themselves.

Livi was suddenly nervous to be alone with the tallest band member. She wouldn't outright admit it, but she'd been crushing on him since that breakfast several weeks ago. His charming good looks were very intimidating now.

On the other side of the table, James saw how tense the blue-eyed girl was. Feeling a sense of need to help her, he smiled softly and held his hand out to her. "Care to dance? I know how much you love Kesha."

Livi looked up at him, surprised. Of all the girls in the club to dance with, he was choosing _her_? Not that she was complaining, of course, but _still_. A small grin spread across her features and she reached over to grasp his hand. "I'd love to," she replied, forgetting to question how and why he knew one of her secret favorite music choices.

Sam and Kendall watched the two move to the bustling dance floor hand-in-hand. She locked eyes with her boyfriend and smiled knowingly. Looking to her left, Stephanie and Camille were giving her thumbs up, having seen the whole thing as well. She returned the gesture and went back to dancing with Kendall.

As the minutes and songs passed, Olivia began to loosen up and enjoy the thumping atmosphere and the fact that she was dancing at a club with _the_ James Diamond. After a few more songs, the club was getting a little too toasty warm, so both teens had a light sheen of sweat on their faces from jumping up and down, but both were sporting matching smiles.

Eventually, the groups went back to their booth to rest briefly and grab more drinks. They finished a round and then another bass-heavy song erupted through the speakers. James' eyes lt up as he stood up and grabbed Livi, dragging her to the dance floor excitedly. She looked back at Sam and the other teens and shrugged, not knowing what exactly had gotten into the hazel-eyed boy.

They both arrived in the middle of the mosh of people giggling at nothing, and James instantly put his hands at Livi's hips, swaying both of their bodies to the song.

_Oh, baby, light's on_

_But your mom's not home_

_I'm sick of laying down alone_

_With this fever, fever, yeah_

_My one and only_

_I wanna get you alone_

_Give you fever, fever yeah_

As sexual as the song actually was, Livi could tell that James was totally playing around and being funny when he sang it to her. He had his goofy-singing face on, singing the notes perfectly though she could hardly hear him until he sang a repeated phrase:

_Would you be m-mine?_

_Would you be m-mine?_

_Would you be m-mine?_

She stopped dancing because he had a serious look on his face during those words and his eyes bored into hers. Was that his subconscious way of asking her out?

Realizing what he had done, James stopped moving as well and bit his lip nervously. There was something about Livi that made him act like an even bigger idiot sometimes. It had never happened before with any other girl he'd more or less 'gone after' and he was probably just as confused as the ravenette was.

They stood there staring at each other for a few more seconds before James moved them from the throng into a more secluded corner of the club. Once they sat down, there was an awkward silence; neither of them knew how to start off. Livi was blushing furiously once again and had her hands tucked in her lap, while James was clenching his hands in a distressed fist on the table, searching for the right thing to say.

Olivia had never seen James so timid before. 'Mr. Confidence', the 'face', was coming unraveled in front of her eyes. He looked like a child with the way he was biting his lip, his bangs shielding his wide hazel orbs, a childlike apprehension rolling off of him.

Somehow, the singer found enough courage. He took a deep breath to ready himself, and he spoke. "Livi…I'm sorry- I don't really know what that was. I just-" he sighed in frustration, knowing he was on his way to a big rant full of word-vomit. "Look, there's something about you. I don't feel like myself when I'm around you, but I've only been one-hundred percent true to you. It's strange- this has _never_ happened to me before. And don't get me wrong, it's not a bad thing," he reassured her when a semi-hurt look crossed her face. "I'm just new to these feelings I'm having. I think I've come to realize that I-" How could he say it? Before he could stop himself, he pulled Olivia's head to his and brought their lips together.

To say it was unexpected to Livi would be an understatement. When his lips touched hers, her eyes shot wide open, but they slowly eased shut as she kissed him back. This is what they both wanted. James wasn't drunk, Livi wasn't dreaming, and the only thing either teen was aware of was each other's soft lips moving in synch, seeming to it just right. Livi suddenly pulled away. "Wait, James, what _was_ that?"

To her surprise, the brunet was _laughing_, almost hysterically. "I told you, I don't know! All I've wanted to do for a while is _that_. It just felt so right, I can't even stand it. You're making me feel things I never imagined I'd be feeling! I like you a lot more than any girl I've ever met out here or in Minnesota." He took one of her hands in his. "I really like you, Livi. You're adorable, smart, fun, energetic, and I _like_ the way you make me feel. You're _different_, and it's what makes you, you."

Livi just sat there in silence. He actually reciprocated her feelings? She'd come to know him as the loveable narcissistic, and he was so much more than that now. The lady-killer was actually capable of feeling more than just lust. After the initial shock wore off, she responded, "Really?"

James beamed. "Yes! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to you."

Over the speakers, James' own song, Boyfriend, came blasting through their bubble. Livi chuckled at the irony and smiled brightly at the boy beside her. "I think it's a sign." She motioned with her head in no general direction, but aimed at the music.

He laughed back, sending a pleasant shiver up Olivia's spine. "I guess it is." He then gently sang to her again. "_I don't know what kind of guy that you prefer, but I know I've gotta put myself forward. So do you think I've got the kind of love that you deserve?_"

Livi had had enough waiting. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. This time, there was no uncertainty, only care and passion. They kissed slowly but in no hurry. Now that the truth was out, they just wanted to enjoy each other's presence. James rubbed his thumb along Livi's jaw as she gently tangled her fingers though his chestnut locks.

They pulled away seconds later and rested their foreheads together. The azure-eyed teen shut her eyes contentedly. Then James' melodic voice floated to her ears again:

"_If you tell me where, I'm waiting here, everyday like Slumdog Millionaire; bigger than the Twilight love affair, I'll be here, girl I swear_," he sang quietly, beaming.

Livi reached over to intertwine their hands, glad to finally have him. "I think It's kind of obvious," she started, running the pad of her thumb along the top of his hand. "But I really like you, too."

"Ha! I knew you wouldn't be able to resist my charm for long," James joked.

"Shut up! You're such a ham!" She kissed him chastely again.

There were a few more seconds of silence between them before James spoke up. "I know I'm leaving for Europe in two days, but I really do want to have a relationship with you."

Livi was ecstatic. "Yes! A thousand times yes! I know we'd be able to work something out- just…as long as you don't meet some prettier German girl or whatever."

The pretty boy smirked. "No one could keep my attention like you do. You're beautiful, Liv. I will make a promise right now: you are the only girl for me, and I know we can survive starting a 'long-distance' relationship for two months. So, to promise my trustworthiness, I will run up and kiss you the minute I walk off the plane when we get back. I'll be faithful and loving and we'll talk every day. as long as you're willing to do the same…?"

There was no question about it. "I promise, James! I'm just so happy that you feel the same way." She scooted over and rested her head on his muscular shoulder. They both sighed in contentment, letting the music wash over them as they continued to sit in each other's arms.

Across the club, Sam and Kendall were slow dancing with all the other couples on the floor. Resting her head on Kendall's chest, her eyes landed upon Logan and Camille in the same position. Logan was looking into Camille's eyes with complete adoration, the way Kendall always did to Sam, and he leaned down to give her a chaste but passionate kiss.

"They're so cute," Sam commented.

Kendall followed her gaze and smirked. "Yeah, but we're cuter."

Kendall sighed. "I don't want to leave," he said, hugging her tighter.

"I know," Sam responded. "But it's your dream! And I want you to go because of that." She spotted Olivia and James walking back toward them, hand-in-hand. "Besides, it looks like none of us want any of you to leave." She indicated the new couple. "But we know you'll be fine over there."

A few seconds later James and Livi approached them. "Hey, we're pretty tired. Are you guys? We were going to go back to the house for a bit."

Kendall could hardly believe it: the Hollywood Super Party King of Hollywood was 'partied' out. "Yeah, we'll come with you. We'll go find everyone else." Sam and Kendall separated and walked to the other groups.

They all trudged to the waiting limo after rounding everyone up. Looking at clocks and watches on the way, they'd found out it was _11:45_, much later than they'd thought. "Time flies when you're having fun," Carlos said with a yawn.

By the time the group piled in, most of them were half-asleep, so Simon figured he'd just take everyone to the mansion. He trusted the kids and knew they weren't the kind to do anything inappropriate.

Soon enough the headlights fell upon the front gate, and the teens were inside minutes later. Each of the boys helped their date- Kendall had a hand around Sam and Jo- upstairs to change into some comfier clothes. As soon as everyone was changed, the girls collapsed into their respective partner's bed, while Jo took the guest room down the hall.

Too exhausted to speak, they all fell asleep a little restlessly. They only had one more day together, after all. But Kendall had something special planned for Sam tomorrow before he left for Europe, something she'd probably never see coming and definitely wouldn't forget.

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**Okay, so yeah, FIRST of all, the guys are actually in Europe right now. -sigh- If anyone asks, it was MY idea for them to go. C:**

**Secondly...wow. Very James/Livi-centric chapter. It won't necessarily be like that anymore (I don't think) but I needed to develop their relationship.**

**Thirdly- YAY! A long chapter! -cheers- BUT I've been very angsty thanks to Miss Fenway. I watched the Lion King late last night before fangirling like crazy and exploding from the awesomeness of Big Time Rush. I cried. A lot. Tears of sadness at the movie, and tears of I-don't-even-know-what because of the videos of the boys in London. -swoons-**

**So be prepared.**

**Oh god. Lion King. -dies-**

**And it doesn't help I've been singing "Circle of Life" ALL DAY. Like WTH?**

**Ugh. Review if you must. I love you all. I must now go into my Weeping Corner. (credit goes to Miss Fenway for creating a corner for all of us. I love you, Laura, if you ever read this.) **


	13. Chapter 13

**So yeah, wow...this is super late, and I really do apologize. I had major writer's block and the last few months of my senior year were _incredibly_ stressful. Again, you have NO idea how sorry I am!**

**Anyways, I'm not really sure how I feel about this chapter, but it's a little bit longer and I guess we'll just see how it plays out.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own BTR. I own Sam and any other OC's. If I owned the boys...well, Jo would've been gone a LONG time ago. Oops, that was a spoiler, wasn't it? -shot-**

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"So you understand your mission?"

"Affirmative, K-Dawg."

"Good. And remember, just keep her away from the Palm Woods until we tell you."

"No problem! _Now _can you tell me what this is all about?"

Kendall smiled from his end of the phone. "Sorry, Camille; no can do."

"Ugh, _fine_!" she grumbled. "But only because I love hanging with Sam…and the shopping idea does sound pretty tempting."

"Thanks Cam. You're the _best_!"

"Of course I am," she said in a fake-cocky tone, mockingly flinger her hair over her shoulder.

They said goodbye, and Kendall could rest a little easier now that he had a guarantee of time to get ready. He was, at the current moment, packing three suitcases for the tour, but he was okay with putting it off for his girlfriend.

It would definitely be a night neither of them would forget.

* * *

"Sam! Wake up!"

She only grumbled. "God, Camille, really?"

"Yes, really! We're going to go shopping today!" Each word was emphasized with another bounce on the bed.

"But Camille…"

"No buts! You need a girl's day out! You need to _relax_ for once, Sam!" Camille shouted. "I've already got it all planned out. All you need to do is get dressed. We're meeting the girls in a half-hour!"

"Fine!" Sam gave in, pushing Camille off her bed. "But you're picking out my clothes _and _making me breakfast!"

The brunette on the floor just chuckled as she made her way to the closet. "Whatever, Sam. I know your perfect shopping outfit anyway." As soon as she laid the clothes on Sam's bed, she moseyed out to the kitchen to make her 'specialty breakfast'.

Soon after, Sam exited her room dressed in a jean shorts, tank-top combo with a casual up-do. Camille looked up from the stove in the kitchen and smiled. "Dang, girl! I_ knew_ you'd look cute in that." Sam only stuck her tongue out at her friend, knowing she was right.

Camille finished making two plates of eggs, sausage, and toast, and the two girls ate their breakfast in silence, not necessarily awake enough to have a steady conversation while eating. After they finished, Sam put the dishes in the sink and walked back over to Camille. "Are we seriously going to the mall?" she asked.

The actress looked confused. "Of course...you think I would say that and not mean it? I can't lie about something like that."

"Aww, Camille, do we really have to?" Sam whined.

"YES! We haven't had any time to spend with each other lately, and we're going to have even _less_ time now that your album is being released early! Please? Just a few hours and I'll even let you pick out a couple stores! You can drag me to any I don't want to go to..."

The offer was mighty tempting, so Sam accepted. "Okay- deal." She sighed heavily. "Well, let's get this over with." She grabbed her keys and went to walk out the door. Camille jumped up with her and suddenly snatched the keys out of Sam's hand. "Hey! Camille! What are you-"

She merely smirked. "Honey, I'm driving today. I know a secret mall that's better than the one around here. It's a bit of a drive, but it's totally worth it!"

They began walking downstairs to Sam's parents' other car (her parents had taken one to a meeting they both needed to attend that weekend) and hopped in, Sam albeit begrudgingly. Soon Camille was getting onto the on-ramp that would take them to their destination. "You seriously can't tell me where we're going?" Sam questioned.

"Absolutely not. You'll find out when we get there- which should only be a few more minutes."

They eventually arrived at their destination with little traffic to interfere- a major surprise for mid-Saturday. It took Camille several minutes to find a parking spot (for it seemed _everybody_ had decided to go to the not-so-secret mall that day) but the two girls eventually made their way inside.

Sam had never been to the mall in the months since she'd arrived in California, so she turned to Camille to lead the way. But as she looked at the actress, Sam caught a glint in the brunette's eyes that slightly terrified her.

Camille Sanders was in full-out shopping mode.

Before she could make any form of protest, Sam was dragged into the air-conditioned atmosphere of the Pico Rivera mall. The hustle and bustle of the medium-sized mall almost overwhelmed the small town girl, but she didn't have enough time to think about the people because Camille practically shoved her into the closest store. With that attitude, they'd probably go into _every _store.

An hour into the shopping spree, Sam and Camille were already weighed down with numerous heavy bags from various stores on the first floor. After the first three stores, Sam was just under the assumption that Camille knew both of their exact sizes and what would or wouldn't look good on each of them. Camille's strategy was to merely hold up the clothing item to Sam's or her own body, contemplate for several moments, and throw it in the pile if she approved it. It was as if she was getting them both whole new wardrobes.

Considering this was Camille, she probably was.

They were finally making their way up to the second floor. There was at least one main store that Camille knew she'd find some good outfits for her friend. The duo passed a store that Camille just moseyed on by, and, looking up at it, Sam saw her perfect opportunity. She grabbed Camille's arm and brought her to the entrance of the store. "You remember what you promised me earlier?" Camille nodded. "Well, _now_ is one of those times."

The actress's eyes widened minutely; she _never_ shopped at this store. Admittedly, she was somewhat afraid of it: all the darkness and strange people…

Hot Topic.

"So you really shop here?" she asked her friend, looking at her like she'd gained an extra head.

Sam chuckled at the drama queen's expression. "Nah, not all the time. I just like coming to these when I can." She still noticed Camille's timid glance. "Oh, come on! It's not scary. Trust me: these people are _so_ cool! I'll be right here." She paused as Camille started to cave. "Okay, how about this: I'll get a couple shirts for each of us, maybe an accessory or two, and then we can leave. How does that sound?"

Even an offer like that was too good for the curly brunette to resist. She cracked a small smile. "Oh, alright! You know I love shopping. And besides, it'll be a new experience, and I do actually trust you when it comes to picking out clothes for _me_."

The girls linked arms and headed inside. "Let's go, Cam."

* * *

"Can I take my blindfold off _yet_?" an irked Sam whined.

"Not quite, Sammy-kins," Logan told her as he guided her around Palm Wood's park. It was getting dark, and Sam still had no idea what was going on. Logan had showed up to her apartment after she'd gotten ready and requested that she put the piece of cloth over her eyes. She thought it very suspicious, but he had said he was there on Kendall's orders, so she obliged, and now there they were.

"But _Logan_!"

"No buts! Besides, we'll be there in a sec, so then you can spend the rest of the night with Kendahllia."

Sam suddenly froze, getting a huge bout of stage fright. Now she had some sort of idea as to what this night was going to be like. She knew neither of them wanted to take _that_ step for quite a while; but for some reason, she still had an irrational feeling that made her extremely nervous. "Oh no, Logan! Don't make me go! I don't know about this…I mean, I don't think…what if I'm overdressed? Or _under_dressed? Camille helped me pick it out, but-"

Logan cut her off by putting a hand gently over her mouth, silencing her. He chuckled a bit. "Relax, Sam; Kendall's gonna love you. You look _beautiful_," he said in a brotherly tone. He lowered his voice as he reached up to untie the back of the cloth around her head. "And don't worry, Kendall really likes you, and he wanted to make this night special. You'll do fine. Besides," he took off the blindfold. "We're here."

In front of her was one of the most romantic scene's she'd ever witnessed. She was in a small clearing surrounded by several trees in a circle, with twinkling lights hanging across the branches overhead, illuminating a simple white tablecloth that held a single, lit candle in the center. The twilight atmosphere was perfect, and it seemed like something out of a movie- only better; much better.

Sam was in awe. "Wow! It's so beautiful, isn't it Log-" she turned around to where she thought her friend had been, but in the time she had been taking in the décor in front of her, the genius had disappeared into the night, silent as a ninja. Now that she was alone again, she began to have some worries. Where was Kendall? She hadn't seen him yet; was he just as nervous as she was?

A rustling caught her hearing, and she tensed, ready to fight if necessary, but it was only Kendall that emerged from behind one of the thicker tree trunks, looking as dashing as ever. He wore a simple white v-neck with a black suit-jacket over it, hugging his torso in all the right places. His long, lean legs were covered by a pair of gray skinny jeans, and to finish off the look: a pair of his signature Vans. He may have looked like any other teenage male in Los Angeles, but right now, he was absolutely _perfect_.

At the same time, Kendall was taking in the sight of his girlfriend, too. She looked…well, to Kendall, the Hope Diamond couldn't compare. Her brown hair was straightened from its usual wavy setup, the smooth tresses glittering in the lights; she wore a strapless black dress with a subtle stitching pattern and a white corset wrap over top of it, leaving the first button undone. Around her neck was a necklace with a silver key pendant, and when he looked down a bit farther, Kendall saw a large decorative stone on a ring that sparkled in the dim light adorning her right pointer finger, which was wrapped around a red, ruffled clutch. He finally spotted his girlfriend's shoes and let out a small chuckle. "Looks like we subconsciously coordinated our outfits, doesn't it?" he asked her jokingly.

Sam raised an eyebrow at his question, but as she followed his gaze, she looked down at her own shoes and then at Kendall's, and blushed lightly. They each wore bright red shoes- Kendall's Vans, and Sam's Converse. It did seem like there was some planning that went down before the date. It was basically a matching color scheme, and the tension was instantly split in light of the new development.

The brunette took a couple more steps forward and intertwined her and the blond's fingers together before standing on her tiptoes to kiss him chastely. "Hey you," she breathed as she pulled away.

Kendall's smile beamed down at her. "Hey to you, too." They separated and Kendall brought Sam over to the table. He held out the chair for her and adjusted it as she sat down, strolling over to the other side of the small round table to seat himself as well.

Sam was still in awe of what was around her. "Kendall!" she said, a bit spaced out. "This is all so beautiful! You didn't have to go through all this trouble just for a little date!" She really did feel bad that he'd done all this work and all she had done was show up.

"But I wanted to," he countered. "And it's just not _any_ date. I wanted to make it really special since I won't be around for a while after tonight…"

The thought unsettled them both, but they pushed it away to focus on the moment they were in. "Well, all the same, I love it," Sam told him truthfully. She reached over the table to set her hand on top of his. "Happy three month anniversary, Kendahllia," she said affectionately.

The boy across from her smirked and rolled his eyes playfully, but went along with her shenanigans. "Happy anniversary, Samson," he replied smoothly.

While they continued to gaze into each other's eyes, out of nowhere came James, Logan and Carlos, each carrying trays. Sam jumped slightly at the additions to their little party, and looked back at Kendall confused. "What-" she started.

"Hello, my name is Logan, and this is James and Carlos, and we will be your servers for this evening," the genius stated, as if from a script. The three boys were dressed as waiters, black tie getup and hair slicked back. It would've been quite amusing if it weren't for the romantic atmosphere. He held up the tray in his hand. "Your beverages for the evening are ice water and sparkling white grape juice," he said as he placed each glass down in front of the couple. Next, James and Carlos came out from behind him holding trays with spherical silver lids on top. "And our main course tonight," Logan continued. "Is fettuccine noodles cooked _just so_, topped with a delicious garlic alfredo sauce and home-cooked buttery breadstick on the side with marinara sauce."

"Wow Logan," Sam commented. "You sound like an Olive Garden commercial or something." She giggled at the cheesiness of it all, until the plates were set in front of them, lids lifted as steam rose lazily from the just-cooked meal.

"All for the lady, miss," James said in his suave way beside her. Carlos was still silent, but Sam assumed it was just so he didn't break anything and ruin the evening.

"Well then, _thank you_ sirs," she retorted, just as silly.

Logan and his two helpers gave the couple final smiles as they began backing away. "Enjoy!" Logan said with a fancy gesture to the wonderful spread below. And with that, the other three members of BTR were gone.

Sam was speechless. Her mouth was slightly agape as she tried to absorb what had just gone down. She scratched the back of her neck, unsure. "What- that was…? Ugh, explain please!" she asked Kendall.

He merely grinned at her. "I only got the guys to help us with this little bit. They won't be back until we leave."

"Wait, we're going somewhere else?" So many things were just coming at her all at once.

Seeing her startled face, Kendall recovered. "Don't worry! It's not far, only a minute or so walk from here. But like I said, they won't be back to disturb us. I made sure."

Now the brunette was more curious. "How?"

"I've got Camille watching them. They wouldn't _dare_ disobey her. Especially Logan and how he's all lovey-dovey over her. It's adorable, actually."

Sam had to agree. "Yeah, they really are a cute couple, no matter how much they've tried to deny it."

"But I wouldn't say they're the _cutest_ couple we know…" Kendall said suggestively.

"Then tell me, Mr. Knight. Who _is_ the 'cutest couple we know'?"

"We are," he said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

This surprised the girl, but she shook off her slight blush and looked down at the table. "Mmm, the food looks to die for!" And with that, they both dug in.

Soon enough, the sun had set and they were both leaning back in their chairs, bellies full and minds content. It really was a scrumptious banquet, but Kendall wasn't quite done with the meal yet. He got up from his seat and walked over to Sam's side of the table, holding out his hand to her. "Dessert, miss?"

Looking up at that adorable face, there was no way Sam could say no. Kendall's forest green eyes shone in the dim lighting, and he way his eyes were innocent and wide were irresistible. _Such a gentleman, as always_, she thought. She reached out to grab his hand, and he pulled her up gently, intertwining their fingers again as he led them away from their hidden Eden.

Kendall wasn't lying when he said it was a short walk. No sooner had they set off than were they at their destination, for he had stopped walking and gestured to a plaid fleece blanket laid out below them. Atop it were several sweet-smelling candles, fires flickering in the light breeze; a plate and a pot on a hot-plate were in the middle of the cloth, and Sam squinted to see just what exactly she was looking at.

Before she got a good chance, Kendall was pulling her down to the soft material. But once they were seated comfortably, Sam finally spotted the dishes in question. "Strawberries? And…" she looked closer at the pot. "Chocolate fondue?"

Kendall looked a little sheepish. "Well…I thought it would be romantic." It wasn't very often that anyone saw the blond in this vulnerable state. It was just so darn adorable.

In answer, Sam picked up a strawberry and dipped the tip in the molten liquid. She held up the fruit to Kendall's mouth, and he took the succulent piece between his teeth, biting it and savoring the flavor. "How is it?" she asked him. He only moaned as his taste buds exploded with all the flavors floating around in his mouth. "Well then, that's what I think of it all." Kendall stopped and stared at her questioningly. "It's wonderful," she finished.

In return, he covered another strawberry in chocolate and offered it up to the beautiful girl in front of him. She graciously chewed on it, a smile spreading over her face as she enjoyed the sweet and tart combination.

That's how they stayed, feeding each other dessert, flinging the warm chocolate at each other or smearing it on the other's face every so often, which made for an interesting clean up. It was all innocent to them, and they would kiss away the chocolate every time they made a mess on the other. It was sweet and perfect way to end a more-than-perfect night. Once the plate was empty and they'd had their fill of chocolate, they set everything to the side of the blanket and laid down on it, embracing each other and gazing up at the starry sky. The cloudless canvas above them was beautiful, and there was nowhere either of them would rather be.

Minutes passed in silence, neither teen wanting the night to come to a close. Taking that as the perfect opportunity, Kendall suddenly sat up and beckoned Sam to join him. He took a deep breath before starting a speech he'd tried to practice for the past couple days.

"Sam, being with you is one of the best things that has ever happened in my life. I honestly don't really see myself ever being without you anymore." He grabbed both of her hands in his. "You are beautiful, sweet, kind, caring, loving, talented, and…you get along with all my friends; I couldn't ask for anything else." He saw her blush a bit, but she was smiling, so he continued. "I know I'm going away tomorrow, and you'll probably have to go away one day like me, too, so I just wanted to leave you with something to prove how much I care about you." With that, he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small black box.

Sam's heart began to beat out of her chest. Could it really be what she thought it was? Were they even ready to take that step? They had barely made it past first or second base…and they'd only been going out for a couple months… Surely it was Sam's imagination exaggerating.

Kendall opened the box, nervous as ever, fingers shaking as he could barely contain his excitement. In the moonlight, Sam saw a brushed silver ring set in black velvet appear. It was a simple band with one little metal rose where a stone would usually go; it was gorgeous and Sam absolutely loved it. But she was still a little worried as to what it meant coming from the blond.

Seeing her slightly scared look, Kendall quickly recovered to explain, holding his hands up in defense to reassure her. "Whoa, Sam, calm down- it's really not what you might think it is." He inhaled again to steady himself again. "This is to say…I love you, Samantha Louise Wayland."

Did he just say what she thought he said? He _loves_ her? Like, _in love _with her?

The brunette was speechless. But at the same time, this was something she had been waiting for her whole life- a guy who like her for who she was, someone who was an amazing person and extremely talented and caring and thoughtful, and more importantly, someone who was also her best friend. Sam couldn't have asked for a better match than Kendall. After taking a moment to just let his words sink in, she replied to him confidently, an ever-lasting smile adorning her face, "I love you too, Kendall Donald Knight." And she really meant it.

Without another word, the couple leaned forward to capture each other's lips in the most passionate kiss they had ever shared. They begged for the moment to last forever, to pause life at _that _moment, because right then, everything was right in the world and nothing could possibly hurt them.

They pulled away after a nagging need for air, and Kendall fumbled with the box to take the ring out and put it on Sam's left ring finger. "And remember," he began again. "It's not a _promise_ ring. It's just a token of how much I love you. If we want it to mean more than that later on…well, then we'll talk about it when we get there." He beamed at her softly, affection radiating off of him. "But for now, this is how it is."

Once his touching speech had concluded, Sam had a sudden idea. Reaching behind her neck, she unclasped her necklace. "And now I want you to have this." She held it out to him, placing it in his outstretched palm, closing his hand when the chain was in a neat pile. "Just a little something to remember me by when you're feeling lonely." She watched as he immediately replaced the necklace around his own neck, looking perfect on him though it was a girl's necklace. "You have the key to my heart now." _Wow, that was super cheesy, _she thought to herself, but at least the blond was smilling at her proudly.

"I love it," he commented. "And I love you," he said sincerely, looking back up at her. He kissed her forehead gingerly before gathering her up into his arms for a hug.

Sam wrapped her arms around his torso as they laid back down on the blanket. They could only wait for tomorrow to come now, and life was all of a sudden coming down on them too fast. Sam stretched up to kiss Kendall's neck and whispered, "Love you, too."

If only life had a pause button, because as the couple stayed wrapped up in each other, Logan, James, Carlos, and Camille were watching from a little ways away. They felt a little guilty to be slightly intruding on such an intimate moment, but it pained their hearts even more to know that the most perfect couple was about to be torn apart- if only for a little while. To the quartet, life was incredibly awesome, but totally unfair for the lovebirds relishing their last night on the same continent.

* * *

**And on the note of BTBreakUp, I blubbered like a baby. Did anybody else? I really do hate Jo's character, but seeing bebeh Kendall so sad was just too much for me. -sob-**

**As I'm posting this, the aforementioned episode is playing on my tv- for the fourth time in two days. -dead-**

**But on another note, does someone want to help me with the timeline of this story? I might go back and do it, but does anyone have a rough estimate of what _they _think is the timeline? Just wondering. God, I don't even know my own story that well. -dead-**

**Hope you enjoyed! Reviews are welcome, flames and criticism as well. Anything that could help improve the story. :)**

**And I'll have a link to their outfits on my profile! Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

Starts With Goodbye- Carrie Underwood

**So, yes, I am awful with updating. But I'm back again. :D**

**And another reason I'm posting is because the whole BTR fandom exploded again last night... and asdflkdfdghalsdjf;l I just can't handle it. That was so much fun. XD**

**Hopefully Tumblr people will know what I'm talking about.**

**Anyway, I don't own anything except my OCs.**

* * *

Everyone knew that LAX was an enormous airport, but in that moment, the four members of Big Time Rush- along with Sam, Jo, Camille, Olivia and Stephanie- had never felt so miniscule in their lives. This was one of the hardest things any of them had ever had to do. Sure, they all casually parted ways at the end of the day, but now, standing at the entrance to the terminal, it was really setting in that they wouldn't be together like this in a _long_ time.

Jo had already said goodbyes to her four favorite guys; she went first to give the four couples more time to talk by themselves. Carlos and Stephanie, Logan and Camille, James and Olivia, and Kendall and Sam stood in their own little bubbles away from each other, knowing that soon enough they would all be separated by an ocean for eight weeks. Jo watched them from where she stood, not being able to hear their conversations, but not really wanting to intrude on their intimate moments. There was no doubt she'd miss those boys as well.

"I love you, Carlos," Stephanie King said to her boyfriend. Like all of the other girls, she was holding back tears, and was extremely close to losing it.

Carlos raised their intertwined hands and kissed the smooth golden brown skin on the back of Stephanie's hand. "I know, Steph, I love you, too." The Latino was the most emotionally sensitive of the four members of Big Time Rush, and she was having just as difficult a time trying not to let a few tears through, but he had to stay strong for his friends and his favorite girl; they'd both been through so much since Stephanie had arrived at the Palm Woods almost two years ago. Looking back at her, he saw several tears leak from her mocha orbs. "Hey, hey hey!" He gently rubbed his thumbs across her cheeks to catch the drops. "It's only a few weeks, Steph! We've been through this before."

"But not when you're across the Atlantic Ocean, Carlos!" Stephanie whined.

To help calm her, Carlos gathered her into a strong hug, which she immediately reciprocated. He ran his fingers comfortingly through her soft hair. "We'll make it work." He pulled back slightly to give her a kiss. "We always do."

They shared a loving smile before Stephanie laid her head onto Carlos' chest, tightening her grip around him as they held onto their last moments together for the next couple months.

A few feet away, Logan and Camille were sharing another passionate kiss. (Camille _was_ one for dramatic, movie-esque goodbyes, after all.) Logan always hated leaving his girlfriend like this, but knew she was strong enough to handle herself. Her passion for acting would keep her busy when he couldn't be there for her. "I'll miss you Cam," he told her affectionately, embracing her lightly.

"I _already_ miss you, Logie," she mumbled into his chest. The couple's one-year anniversary of not being on-and-off would happen during the European tour, and they wanted nothing more than to be able to curl up next to each other and relive their last year as a couple.

Logan realized this as well as Camille. "We'll definitely need to webchat in a few weeks," he said excitedly. He sighed nostalgically and rested his chin on the tope of her head. "I can't believe it's been a year already."

The curly-haired brunette looked up at him, chuckling lightly. "Well, unless you count all that time we were 'just friends'," she held up her fingers as she air-quoted. "We kissed and did everything couples do without actually accepting that we were anything more than that."

Logan didn't really like going back to that time. He had been so down about breaking up with Camille after she 'cheated' on him with James; he had been so delirious he'd said he would buzzcut his hair, join a gym, and nickname himself 'The Island'.

He'd gone completely insane over her.

But if it brought him to where he was now, then he wouldn't change a thing.

Leaning down, he kissed the actress again, smiling his crooked grin. "I love you," he sighed.

Camille retreated into the warmth of his arms once more. She breathed deeply before replying, "I love you too, Logan."

James and Olivia were saying goodbyes as well. They'd only been an item for two days, so they were merely holding hands, wanting to strengthen their relationship before diving into anything too bold.

The pretty boy was still confounded as to how Livi had changed his whole outlook; he used to be the conceited yet lovable member of BTR, but with her, he seemed to be a whole lot calmer and subdued. He thought it must just be the shock of the sudden burst of emotions, but he figured they would even out once she was exposed to more of his life, and vice-versa, as time went on.

Their nerves were evident on both of their faces, neither really having been in this kind of situation before. But for now, they would make the most of it since it would be the last time they could do anything physical (which meant only holding hands and kissing) for two months.

James settled for draping an arm over his new lady friend, kissing her temple gently as she snaked her thin arms around his torso. He snuggled his cheek into her dark locks and returned her embrace. Although they had gotten together knowing James would be overseas days later, the goodbyes weren't any easier.

The two stayed silent- a combination of being a bit choked up and not knowing exactly _what_ to say- but what could they? Young love being practically ripped away just as it was beginning was not an easy thing to handle.

Livi decided to break the silence. "Can you _say _something?" she whispered into his shirt.

He waited a few seconds for dramatic effect, and then, he simply said, "Something."

The ravenette gently swatted at James' muscular chest, laughing along with him. He rewrapped his arms around her. "Is there anything really _to_ say?" he wondered out loud.

"Well…" Livi hesitated. "I guess one thing is goodb-" She was silence when James put a finger to her lips.

"Shh, it's not goodbye," he cooed. "Just…it's more of a 'talk to you later' deal."

Livi couldn't really argue with that, so she gave up and just tried to memorize everything about him she could: his beauty, his style, his smell.

The pair swayed back and forth as they held each other, too caught up to care about the rest of the world. Eventually, James tilted Olivia's chin up with his fingers and connected his lips tenderly with hers. Though it would seem the situation would call for it, there was no urgency; they didn't want to get to serious too quickly.

Breaking away slowly, James opened his eyes to look at his azure-eyed wonder. "Call or text me, or whatever, anytime. 'Kay?" He gripped her even harder to his torso, not wanting to let her go.

"Of course," she responded without hesitation. "Every day. And _I_ want updates on _everything_: concerts daily happenings…I just want to know all about what you actually _do_ when you're involved in something like this." Her cheeks turned a light pink when she realized how controlling she sounded.

Sensing this, James rushed in to her rescue. He grinned at her. "Sure thing. But…we should probably make sure our calls coordinate with the time zones." He chuckled, imagining a four a.m. phone call when it'd be only seven or so in the evening in California.

Livi's goofy laugh rang out, making the tallest BTR member's eyes light up. "Alright." She paused, then hugged him again. "I'm gonna miss you, James."

"And I you, pretty lady." Livi blushed again at his smooth talk, but he suddenly turned serious. "But we'll make it through this. I _know_ it."

Over from _them_ a couple feet were Sam and Kendall, sharing heartfelt farewells. Now was a true test to their relationship: three months together, and now two ahead on separate continents. Their bond remained strong, and each of them knew that their trust in each other would encourage their faithfulness to continue.

Around his neck Kendall wore Sam's key necklace she had given him the night before; he honestly hadn't taken it off since then. While he would be over in Europe he would always make sure to keep it safe when he wasn't wearing it.

Sam had given a bit more thought to the events of last night, and sure enough, the brushed metal rose ring adorned her left ring finger, and Kendall assure himself that he had never seen a sight so beautiful- even though the subject had rivers of tears streaming down her red cheeks.

No words were shared for a while, neither teen knowing where to start. For some reason, each of them feared that if they spoke goodbyes here, there would be no doubt that Kendall might lose it and stay. But he knew that they both had duties, and while they wouldn't be able to actually see and touch each other, the next two months would be the time to test and strengthen their relationship; it wasn't really long-distance, per say, since this was the boys' job and they were all coming back in several weeks. It was a small price to pay for happiness.

Speaking of jobs…Sam pulled a small plastic case out of her purse and handed it to her boyfriend. Kendall took it hesitantly and looks slightly confused. "What…" As he studied the case, he realized there was a CD inside it that had 'Samantha Wayland' typed along the op. a track listing took up the left side, and there seemed to be a rough but colorful disc art on the CD. A thought suddenly dawned on the blond. His eyes widened and his mouth hung agape. "No! this isn't…it's not-"

"Yeah, it's my CD!" Sam couldn't help herself and let out a small shriek of excitement. Kendall whooped and picked her up around the waist, swinging her around gleefully, earning a few strange looks from the passing people. He finally set her down gently and brought their lips together in a celebratory kiss. All thoughts of the tour disappeared, for now he was so proud of his girl.

"Oh my god, I can't believe it! This is amazing!" Kendall exclaimed, pulling away. "But how? I mean, it doesn't come out for a couple weeks!"

"I know! But I begged my producers to get me an early copy for you," the brunette exclaimed just as ecstatically. "Sure, there are just a couple minor adjustments with the little things that need to be made, but for you," she tapped the case in his hands, "it's just about as finished as it could get."

There was not a thing on earth that could break Kendall's pride, not even the tour; his girlfriend was one step closer to living her dream. His face softened as he spoke to her again. "I love it," he whispered sincerely, almost on the verge of tears.

"Well, I'm glad," Sam replied happily, embracing the taller boy again. Tears of joy and sadness flowed from her chocolate orbs, sending her on a path of confusion; she was so ecstatic that Kendal was just as excited as she was, but she only had a few more minutes to bask in each other's warmth.

"_Flight 758 to New York/JFK will begin boarding in twenty minutes."_

Speak of the devil.

Sam sighed warily, suddenly feeling defeated. "Well, this is it, I guess."

Kendall immediately caught her drastic change in demeanor. "Hey, don't you think like that!" He pouted playfully. "I hate seeing you so sad. But…I've got a secret that might cheer you up!"

"Oh really?" Sam played along.

The emerald-eyed teen beckoned her closer, wiggling his finger at her until her ear was in line with his mouth. He took a monstrous breath before whispering, "I love you."

Sam could only giggle, and she shook her head at his childish antics. But nevertheless, she shared one last kiss with her jokester.

Another thought crossed his mind. "Oh, I almost forgot." He reached around his jacket pockets until he found what he was looking for, and held it up for Sam to see. It was a set of keys. "Since we're gonna be gone, feel free to go over to the mansion anytime. You practically live there anyway," Sam smiled knowingly, "so…yeah. I just want you to be comfortable- and don't hesitate to bring the other girls over. You're all welcome. Our only rule…is no 'other' boys." He looked so innocent when he said that, and Sam could hardly bring herself to chuckle at his insecurity.

"Don't worry," she assured him with a chaste peck. "It's only you, honey."

Kendall had never smiled so brightly as on that day.

The couple kept their hands interlocked until the four boys were gathered together. One of their other managers came up to the group of teens. "Come on guys," he said. "Our flight's waiting." He ushered them away from the girls, hating to see such sadness all around him.

And with that, Kendall, James, Logan and Carlos began their European tour. Taking one last look behind them at their girls (and Jo, whom they still considered a sister), the quartet finally took a step toward their private jet that would stop in New York to refuel before hopping across the pond. They boarded their plane in no time, and as they began their ascent, Kendall fiddled with the stereo, taking the CD out of its case.

"Whatcha got there, K-dawg?" James asked curiously

Kendall could only smirk at his friends. "I guess we'll all just have to see." And he pushed play.

"_When I was younger I saw my daddy cry and curse at the wind."_

The three boys around the blond leader all gaped at him in awe. They all knew that voice, and could hardly believe they were finally getting to hear the great Sam Wayland live her dream.

"_And that was the day that I promised I'd never sing of love if it does not exist._

"_But darling you are the only exception…"_

Kendall gasped inwardly; Sam had hinted a while back that she may have been writing a song about him. This must've been it.

It was a beautiful melody, an acoustic guitar strumming softly as Sam's graceful vocals floated around the cabin. The moment was amazingly surreal, so everyone settled in to the tune of Sam's confession of her love for her Only Exception.

"_Oh, and I'm on my way to believing."_

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**Review, please?**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey, so yeah….I've been gone for a while. Truthfully, I've had the stress of college to keep me busy, so the updates may be coming even **_**less **_**frequently, unless I get extreme bouts of inspiration.**

**Again, I'm really sorry, and hopefully this chapter is okay.**

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"Sam, honey, can you get up?"

"C'mon sweetheart; we just want to see you up and at 'em."

Sam groaned in annoyance at her parents. If truth be told, she _didn't_ want to get up at all. She and Kendall had talked very early this morning right before he was set for a daytime interview in Germany, and she was exhausted. It was tough having a boyfriend on another continent, but she knew she was not the only one going through this in her group of friends. "Ugh, five more minutes," she grumbled into her pillow.

This was the response that her parents had been hearing each morning since the boys left, and they were unhappy that she was a bit miserable. Sam hadn't necessarily been _mopey_, but she was definitely less herself. So without saying anything back to her, they barged into her room. The couple approached the bed. "how about we go out for breakfast today?" Mary said out of the blue.

Sam was a little startled at the sudden thought, but her interest was piqued, and she raised her head slightly.

"We haven't had a good, family meal since you started getting busier," her mother continued. "It's been a week now, Sam. Let's get out there and _do_ something!"

Unfortunately, Sam knew that her parents were right; yes, her boyfriend was around the world, but did that mean she could just lay around all day? _No_.

So a half-hour later, the family found themselves at a quaint little mom-and-pop diner a few minutes from the Palm Woods. They'd ordered their food and sat anxiously for it to arrive. For a while, no one knew where to start, until a gleam in Sam's direction caught Tom's and Mary's eyes. "That's a very beautiful ring, Sam," her mother commented lightly.

Sam had almost forgotten about the piece of jewelry that had been adorning her right ring finger for the last week. Taken aback by the random compliment, Sam quickly replied, "Oh….thanks. Kendall actually gave it to me."

Tom choked on his coffee. That was something he hadn't expected to hear. "_Excuse_ me?"

Realizing she should've been a little more selective with her choice of words, the teen held up her hands to try and quell her parents' concerns. "Whoa! Mom, dad…it's not like that! I can explain-"

"Then what _is_ it like, Samantha?" her father asked, tone suspicious.

Mary tried to calm her husband; neither of them used their daughter's full name unless they were agitated with her for some reason. "Tom…"

Sam cut in before her mother could say anything else. "He gave me this ring the night before he left. I can tell you it's not a promise ring…not right now; he said it's a token of his love for me." She paused as she let that statement sink in. "…And I love him too," she said wistfully.

Instantaneously, Tom's fatherly instincts cooled down, sensing how much Sam really cared for this boy. "Are you sure, baby girl?"

Sam roller her eyes playfully at her childhood nickname from him, but nodded finally.

"And he's good to you? Treats you right?"

Another confident nod. "Alright. As long as my daughter is happy, _I'm _happy. Just make sure to let us know if he ever hurts you.'

Sam smiled. "Of course, daddy."

"Oh, our little girl's in love!" Mary could've shed tears in happiness. "Well, I think Kendall seems like a wonderful young man from the times we've met him and how you talk about him. And just wait; I'm sure these next couple months will _fly_ by, and you'll see him again sooner than you think."

"Thanks mom," Sam replied sincerely. "It really means a lot to me that you like him too."

"He does seem like a good boy," Tom agreed. "But I hope you know that I'll always be watching out for you, honey. You know us dads…"

"Unfortunately, _yes_ I do," Sam teased lightly. "Now, our food's on the way, so let's dig in."

For several minutes the only sounds the family made were th clinking of their silverware on their plates. It was a pleasant silence, but Mary still had one more question on her mind. "Sam? You said it wasn't a promise ring 'now'. Do you ever _want _it to be?"

The other two pairs of eyes at the table stared at the woman for a moment. Then the eldest sets of eyes turned to Sam, who blushed at the prospect. "I- I don't know…maybe someday. But it's too early in the relationship for that kind of talk. Kendall even thinks we should take as much time as we want! For now, it's only a ring- not big commitments just yet. I want to take this one day at a time; I mean, we only _just_ said our 'I love you's'. Ya know?"

Smiling softly at their daughter, Tom and Mary took her answer to heart and nodded. They spoke no more of it for the rest of the meal.

After everything was paid for, the trio headed back to the apartment. As they were on the road, Tom made an announcement. "Oh, Sam, honey. Your mother and I have a business trip coming up in a couple weeks. It's in Santa Clarita, so we're just going to drive."

"Are you gonna be back in time for my birthday?" she asked. Her eighteenth birthday was only three and a half weeks away, after all.

"Yes sweetheart," Mary answered. "It's only a couple days, and we'll be home with plenty of time to spare."

Sam chuckled in relief. "Okay, I'm just making sure. It _is_ the big 1-8!"

"I'm just sorry Kendall can't be over here for it," her mother said sadly.

The brunette stayed silent, also wishing her boyfriend could be back home too.

They finally arrived back at the apartment. Sam went to freshen up for rehearsals, and recording, while her parents wandered around the abode to find something to do on _their_ day off.

As Sam flopped down on her bed, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Fishing it out, she saw Kendall was requesting FaceTime with her. She immediately connected, beaming when she saw his chiseled face. "Hey Kendall."

The blond grinned back at her. "Hey Sammy. How's it going?"

She smiled sadly. "not as good without you here."

Kendall's face displayed a look that said he felt the same way. "Don't forget, honey, I'm only a phone call away. And don't worry about the time difference if you _really_ need to talk."

It still amazed Sam how truly special Kendall has been. It's definitely tough to keep up this kind of long-distance relationship, but Kendall was willing to go to just about any length to stay in contact. "Thanks, Kenny." She paused, realizing something. "Hey…don't you guys have a concert tonight? Like, right _now_?" She shuffled through some papers on her bedside table until she found their schedule.

"Oh yeah; it had to be pushed back about a half-hour because of some technical difficulties, so we're all just hanging backstage before we go on," he explained. "Say hi to everybody." His face disappeared off the screen as he shouted, "Come here guys! Sam's on the phone!"

In an instant, the screen was crowded with three other smiling faces. "What's up Sam?" they all screamed.

She couldn't help but chuckle at their childish behavior. "Hey guys! How's it going over there?"

"It's _awesome_!" James exclaimed. "Do you know how many different fashion and Cuda stores they have over here? I'm in _heaven_!"

Sam shook her head playfully. _Still the same old' James._

"Other than _that_," Logan interjected. "We're having a great time, Sam."

"Where are you guys, again?" Sam asked.

"Cologne, Germany!" came Carlos' excited voice. "Wahoo!"

His loud outburst caused her to retract her phone away from her face, cringing at the volume. "Carlos!" the other three boys screamed to get him to calm down.

"Well, I hope you guys have a blast," Sam chuckled as they quieted down on the other side.

"Thanks, dear," Kendall smiled. "And just think: only a few more weeks, and then we'll all be together again." Someone called his name in the background, so he excused himself for a moment before returning to the screen. "Oh, that's our cue! We've gotta go Sam," he said sadly.

As much as she wanted him to stay and talk forever, she knew her boys had a job to do, so she put on her best happy face and grinned at him. "Okay, Kenny. Go do your thing. Tell the rest of the boys to break a leg!" She paused. "Wait, don't tell Carlos that. He _still_ takes those things to seriously."

The blond's laugh was low yet playful as he remembered how true her statement really was. "Sure thing, honey." His smile faltered. "Well, I guess I'd better get going."

"O-okay."

"Bye Sam!" Carlos screamed from somewhere behind Kendall. The two lovers shook their head at his childishness; only Carlos could manage to pull that off at eighteen.

"What he said," came Kendall's response.

"Call me tomorrow," Sam said, trying to delay their goodbyes as long as possible.

"I call you every day, Sammy. Why would it be any different?"

She sighed in frustration. "I don't know, I just…I hate having to say goodbye to you every time we talk. You're all just so far away, and it's really hard to deal with something like this." She felt tears prick her eyes and hoped that Kendall could not see them over the phone.

"Sam! You and I both know it's never _goodbye_; it's always _see you later_. It'd be _way_ too hard for me to say goodbye to you like this. Trust me when I say that I don't want to have to say goodbye either, but for now, we both have other things to worry about."

His solemn reminder hit her like a ton of bricks. "Yeah," she said, holding back her anxious tears. "You're right…it still sucks, but I've gotta think about the positives. I'll be fine, just…go out there and bring the house down like you boys always do."

"Will do. I love you, Sam."

"Love you too, Kendall." She blew a kiss to him, and after he reciprocated, the line went dead.

Sam threw her phone to the side and it ended up sliding right off the bed accidentally, hitting her rug with a dull thud. She knew she still had to get ready for her day, but for now, all she wanted to do was take a break. So that's what she did. With one last glance at a candid picture on her nightstand of her and Kendall curled up on the luxurious black sofa at the mansion, she fell into a dreamless sleep. Kendall was right: she really did need to remember to stay positive.

It would only be a few more uneventful weeks, after all.

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**Yeah, I suck, this chapter sucks and it's super short. I needed to at least get this out of the way so that I can try to start on the more _interesting _part of the story. Please don't kill me; I'm an innocent college kid (a FRESHMAN no less) and I have ZERO time for Fanfiction anymore and that makes me extremely sad.**

**So, yeah. Review?**


	16. Author's Note

**Hey all. I haven't updated this story in over a year, and truth be told, I've lost my passion for this story. I've also been busy with college and sorority business and doing all this ****_stuff_**** that I had little to no time to focus on my writing.**

**Don't fret too much, because I ****_do_**** intend to finish this, especially since I never really finished my first fic how I wanted to. **

**But for now, this story is on an indefinite hiatus. I just don't want you all being disappointed for waiting around much longer and not getting anything. It may take a while, but I promise you all that I will continue this eventually.**

**I am still writing some short stories/oneshots from time to time, so that's something else to look out for (but again, little time for writing).**

**And I am just so so so so SOOOOO sorry for keeping you guys and gals waiting. Please understand that I have basically just hit a roadblock and now I'm working to clean it up. Make sure to keep an eye out because I am NOT done with fanfiction! Feel free to message me whenever. I'm always here to talk.**

**Anyway, stay classy! :)**


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